Space Oddity
by marval3
Summary: As a child Maia was unknowingly apart of an experiment that altered her genes, that same scientist who oversaw the tests on her conducted ones on Rocket. They met at the facility, and escaped after she came face to face with the horrible truth. Years later, joined by Groot, the three of them are looking to make some money, but find more trouble than they're looking for.
1. Chapter 1

"Can you speak?"

A garbled sound filled the room. It was jumbled, unintelligible. The creature strapped to the table contorted its features like it was confused; the foreign action it was being asked to do was completely frustrating to try.

"Can you say, 'hello?'"

It opened its snout, trembling as it did, and tried to form the word. "He..he...llo," The noise was small and frail.

The scientist standing over the table smiled at the success, scribbling something on the clipboard he held. The man turned around to stare into the glass wall that separated him and the experiment from the viewing room.

" _That'll be all for today."_

The voice came over the intercom and with a nod the scientist left the room. Meanwhile, in the viewing room was a young girl and her father.

The girl, a young Terran, had her hands splayed out on the glass and her face smushed against it, looking at the experiment with sad eyes. When a delicate hand stroked her blonde hair she looked up and met eyes with her father. "He looks so sad…" She mumbled.

"Oh? Why do you think so?" The father questioned with curiosity.

She averted her eyes from him as she thought. "Well...he sounded sad...and he screams a lot…"

The man chuckled and picked up the girl. With one arm supporting her, he used his other free hand to turn her chin so she had to directly look him in the eyes. "Don't fret, that thing doesn't have feelings. It's just another one of my experiments. If it fails it'll be discarded soon enough so don't go getting attached."

Even with that said, she still lingered on her previous thoughts. "But father-"

"Uh-uh! Now, time for your shots."

She squirmed at the thought. "But I _hateee_ shots!"

With a stern voice the father said, "Maia. What have I said about whining?"

Maia immediately shut her mouth and bowed her head. "I'm sorry, father."

Her father smiled and she received a pat on the head before being set down. "Good girl, now let's go."

Maia accepted the hand being held out to her and was led out of the room. But before she left, she managed to catch a glimpse of the experiment laying strapped to the table in the other room.

— 3 ʏᴇᴀʀs ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ —

During my free time I liked to visit my father's experiments. He had created the most interesting things. One was an animal from Terra, a lion mixed with Orloni from Morag. The product was strange; it had a orloni-like tail and made the same cries of the species. It still had the wonderful mane and claws from a lion. The only thing that was disturbing about it was its face. It was completely deformed, mangled and twisted. It was like it couldn't decide if the thing wanted to have the face of an orloni or a lion so it settled for both.

It couldn't speak. I'd tried talking to it a few times but was met with silence. Out of everything here the only one who could really talk was someone special. My friend, Rocket. Now him being my friend had nothing to do with the fact that he could talk. I guessed he was just more advanced than the other experiments my father made. When Rocket wasn't being tested on he was kept in a small cage. I once asked my father to give him a bigger one but the request was denied.

"Hey," I greeted Rocket. He perked up at my arrival, moving to sit closer to the bars of the cage. "I brought you this, hope you like cake." I reached in my pocket and pulled out a crumpled napkin. Inside was a small slice of vanilla cake, it's color was a light pink and frosting a sugary white.

Rocket took it. "Where'd you get it?" He asked as he dug in, making a mess on himself and dropping crumbs on the cage beneath.

I shrugged. "It was my birthday today."

This drew Rocket's attention up from the cake. "Ah, happy birthday. Did...did your old man attend?"

I looked over at Rocket in surprise. Speaking about my father was one of those you don't have to say don't talk about it to not talk about it. It was an unsaid forbidden subject. Rocket deeply detests my father for creating him and everything after. And I might even hate him a bit for everything he put Rocket through, and all the other experiments. Despite how amazing they might appear I always think back to hearing Rocket's shrill screams and wonders if everything else went through the same pain.

Back to Rocket's question…

I shook my head no. "He had an attendant give me a card saying he was sorry he couldn't be there and how happy he was that I was growing up…"

Rocket scoffed. "He's so full of shit."

"I don't know, he has been busy lately."

"Yeah busy torturing us!" Rocket snapped. 'Us', as in the other experiments.

The two of you locked eyes for a full minute. My brown eyes wide, I'd heard Rocket snap a few times and the few times he did it'd catch me off guard.

Rocket was giving me a hard stare through slitted eyes. It didn't seem like either one would blink until Rocket sighed falling back onto his cage's floor. "You have to see Maia. Your Pops isn't all what he makes himself out to be. What you think he does to us, the good things don't exist. The bad things? You can't even begin to imagine how bad they are."

A heavy silence was produced from his words. It was broken when a beeping sound came from my watch. The two of you glanced at it.

I stood, my short height reaching maybe a head above the cage. "I have to go get my shots." Rocket waved a goodbye and I was off.


	2. Chapter 2

I always hated getting shots. I remember a few years ago when I was five I would throw fits. The doctors would have to tie me down to get the needle in my skin. And once my father heard of it, he'd be furious of the way I acted. I'd get slapped, scolded, sometimes worse. He always said it was good to retain an image. It was important what others thought of you. And in a place like this, who knows what might happen to me.

I greeted the doctors with a polite smile and a nod of my head. They were the usual ones; one was an Aakon his name Dr. Slovak, the other a Xandarian her name Dr. Mirrow. They were friendly, the Xandarian doctor more than the Aakon.

I was led to a chair and asked to hang my head forward. The familiar sound of the plastic gloves being snapped on let me know the needle was coming soon.

"Ready?" Dr. Mirrow asked from behind me.

I managed a smile, even though it was fake and I was the only one who could see it. "As ever."

Then the pain came. It was a big needle, being inserted at the bottom of my neck. Seconds later the pain was just a dull throbbing, gauze was covering the place where the needle had been. I stood up and gingerly touched the sore spot.

"Come back after if you need anything for the pain." Dr. Mirrow said.

I nodded and headed to the room adjacent to this one where Dr. Slovak was waiting. He paid me no attention, only nodded at the thick piece of wood that was suspended in the air when I entered. As always I approached it, assumed a stance, and tried my best to break it in half. Which like the other times, I couldn't do it.

I hissed in pain, clutching my stinging hand and brought it close to my chest. I observed the throbbing hand; it was getting redder as the seconds passed.

"Out." Dr. Slovak said curtly.

I was forced from the room as the man left-I wasn't allowed to be in rooms here unattended-and he continued on his work. The pain in my hand had gone away now that I wasn't focusing on it. Flexing my fingers I found with satisfaction nothing was broken.

With a loud sigh I walked out of the workstation. "Now what…?"

* * *

"Do you even know why they keep shooting you with needles?" I stared at Rocket. It was the only thing I could do since I couldn't provide an answer. He sighed running a paw down his face. "I take that as a no."

I subconsciously touched the consistently sore spot on the back of my neck. "It's not like I'm changing, I'm still me."

"You don't know that. What if they're turning you into a bomb? You'll explode!" Rocket jumped forward rattling the cage bars for emphasis.

I laughed, raising my brows. "I'll definitely explode. And when I do, I'll become a ghost just so I can come back and hear you say 'I told you so.'"

Rocket smirked, he was about to say something when the alarms went off. The sound was deafening. A loud blaring _err err err_ surrounded me on all sides, the red warning lights flashed periodically. I shrunk down, pressing myself to Rocket's cage. I was frightened. The alarms wouldn't go off unless something was wrong.

The doors to the room I was in slid open and a group of men in masks marched in. One of them pointed at me and said simply, "Her," but it was still enough to strike terror in me.

"Maia run!" Rocket shouted. I wanted to listen to him but I found my legs were like jelly, weak and wobbly when moved. Instead I death-gripped the bars, watching with wide eyes as the group approached. "Leave her alone you bastards!" Two small hands wrapped around my wrists, but even that wasn't enough as I was grabbed by the waist and yanked up. I lost my grip around the bars from that single tug, I never felt so weak in my life.

As I was carried away, Rocket's both frustrated and helpless face watched me from inside the cage. He violently shook the cage letting out a roar. But realizing there was nothing he could do, he slumped down to the floor, his expression now one of dejection.

—

 **A/n** I forgot to mention that this is a prologue of sorts so it may seem fast paced.

And if the same person who PMed me earlier is reading this, no this won't be a father-daughter thing. (sorry for not PMing back, my account is new and I can't for another twelve hours or so). You'll see in the next few updates what the relationship with the father is. But depending on where I take this, he may either be barely mentioned at all or be one of the main problems in the story.


	3. Chapter 3

I was in a dark room. I felt around earlier but I couldn't find any walls. It was just a pit, blackness, silence.

A churning feeling was growing in my stomach and I sat down, bringing my knees to my chest. I was alone, probably going to die. Going to die? I chuckled rubbing my eyes after realizing they were wet. Such negative thoughts...that's not good…

" _Maia Taris. Welcome, to the Black Box. You will be asked a series of questions. If you fail to answer them right, the walls will advance towards you. Answer enough wrong; you will die. Answer enough right; a door will open and you will be able to leave."_ A monotonous voice spoke from somewhere in the room, I couldn't pinpoint the location.

The gut twisting feeling I already had only got worse. "I'm not doing that!" I protested.

A loud scraping sound echoed throughout the room causing me to jump. " _Failure to comply will result in the movement of the walls."_

My eyes flickered around the room, searching for anything–anyone, that'd help me. But I found nothing and was forced to consider the first option; not dying. "Alright," I said timidly, "what's the first question?"

" _What is your birth planet?"_

That's easy. "Terra." I held my breath–even though I knew the answer was correct I couldn't help it–waiting for the sound of the walls drawing nearer. But there wasn't a sound.

" _Next question; who is the leader of the Nova Empire?"_

I pondered over that. I wasn't really educated on leaders and the like. If that's what the questions would be on, I'm definitely going to die.

The sound of the walls moving startled me. Once I calmed down I shouted, "But I didn't give an answer!"

" _Failure to answer in time will result in movement of the walls."_

I huffed. "This is stupid. Next question." There was silence for a few moments. Then,

" _What is your purpose for being here?"_

I was taken aback by that question. "W-What do you mean?" The walls shifted again, I felt I could see them now.

" _What is your purpose for being here?"_

"I...I don't know, my father's here-" The walls moved again and this time I knew they were indeed within sight.

" _What is your purpose for being here?"_

Frustration and panic taking over I screamed, "I don't know! Ask me something else!" Suddenly, there was a loud grinding sound. Louder than the previous ones. The walls were moving closer, I saw their towering and seemingly endless surfaces. Unlike the other times, they wouldn't stop. The space I was in kept growing smaller and smaller until each side was pressing against me.

I was claustrophobic; knowing that I was going to die while able to feel every bone in my body breaking, the pressure on my skull until it finally explodes. I began to hyperventilate, my was heartbeat racing, thumping so hard I felt nauseous.

"S-Stop! Please! Please...stop…" I trailed off breaking down into sobs.

" _Stop the simulation."_

A voice, not monotonous like the other one, broke through my terror. And I wasn't sure if it made me even more frightened at the fact that I recognized it. It was my father.

My shaky breathing was slowly becoming steadier once the walls stopped moving. I was still scared as the walls were so close to me my arms were pressed to my sides uncomfortably. A hissing sound echoed throughout the room and one by one, the walls dropped at lighting speed into the floor. Lights clicked on and I squinted, rubbing my unfocused eyes. I found I was in a large room, but not as big as I had originally thought. It was rectangularly shaped, if I had to guess the dimensions I'd say 20ft. x 40ft.

Talking drew my attention to the left corner of the room. There stood a group of people. Some wore the attire of the people who'd kidnapped me but without the masks. I knew their faces, they were people who worked here. I saw Doctors Slovak and Mirrow. Other people whom I've come to know were gathered in one spot. And in the middle of it all was my father. I was overjoyed at the sight of the man who raised me. Without considering what he might be doing there, I raced over ready to throw myself in his arms.

"Stop!" My father sharply called out. I slowed down, my head tilting in confusion.

"Father, what's...what's wrong?"

He walked briskly past his coworkers stopping in front of me. I half expected a pat on the head but I knew from his furious expression that's the least I would get. A hard poke in my chest was enough to send my small figure reeling. I collapsed to the floor and coughed once, catching my breath.

"You!" He seethed. "You are what is wrong!"

I stayed on the floor, trying to make myself small under his terrifying glare. "What do you mean father? What have I done wrong?"

My father threw his hands up in the air and started pacing. "Ever since I picked you up on Terra I raised you as my own in hopes you'd respond naturally to the environment you were in. But even with giving you a sense of true panic nothing happened. Apparently you're just another failed experiment, something that I've wasted both my time and effort on." He stopped and turned to look at me. "And do you remember what we do to failed experiments? We expunge them."

It took a few seconds to process what he was saying. By then a man had already thrown me over his shoulder and was walking away. I kicked with all my might, and screamed bloody murder. But he, the man who raised me, just watched impassively as I was carried away to die.

"Father...Dad! Please! I promise I won't be a failure anymore! I'll meet your expectations! Just...don't send me away please!"

My pleading produced no reaction. And I was given a cruel wave of farewell before the door slammed shut.

* * *

Betrayed. Scared. Alone. Broken.

I was a 10 year-old but more mature than I would've been if I'd grown up on Terra. On Terra, I could've had a real family. A dad that'd spend time with me. A mom to teach me how to braid hair. Siblings to...well just to have. I don't know what siblings are good for but the more the merrier. At least my make believe family on Terra wouldn't backstab their kid and try to kill them.

I had been shoved into a small room to await my death. Maybe it was from earlier but I was paranoid that the walls were going to start closing in on me. I rubbed my chest to try and get rid of the tight feeling there. It didn't help. I exhaled as smoothly as I could to try and calm my nerves.

I must've closed my eyes at one point. For I don't remember the next second sitting there. Just, darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

I was awoken to the sound of a door closing. Sleep still clouded my mind as I stumbled to my feet and over to the door. From the pale light leaking in through the crack at the bottom of it, I saw a single metal plate. Cautiously I nudged it. When it didn't attack me or anything I was overtaken with curiosity.

I found it was a scoop of...something. It looked like applesauce but frankly I was afraid to try it. But I couldn't ignore the gnawing hunger in my stomach. I soon gave in and picked up the spoon, hastily shoving the substance into my mouth. It was bland, the texture was a mix of slimy and soggy which made me cringe. But there was something else there...a tang.

I groaned as my muscles spasmed, dropping me paralyzed to the floor. Once again icy fear ran through my veins. The same thoughts like 'I am going to die' repeatedly ran through my head.

"No…" I whimpered. "I can't…"

The door opened again and two figures entered. Their voices were garbled speaking unintelligible words. I knew they weren't friendly. I was soon placed in a wheelchair and rolled out of the room.

My head lolled forward and was limp, rolling in every direction with each turn. The effort to lift my head caused a painful strain on my muscles so I gave up.

Eventually we came to a stop. My hearing was still muddled from whatever I was given. Another person walked by, pausing to exchange a few words with the people near me. And then we were off again.

We entered the room that was directly ahead. I was picked up and moved on to a metal slab. The coldness made me shiver and I realized that I was regaining feeling back. I moved my head to the side and blinked a few times, and who I saw made me cry out. It was Rocket. He was in a cage, staring directly at me. Who knows how long he'd been there for. How stupid am I? I had totally forgotten about Rocket. I was never alone. He was waiting for me; worried and not able to do anything.

Weakly, I lifted a hand pointing towards him, "Rocket...I'm sorry…"

"Hey idiot," His voice was quiet, "what are you apologizing for?"

"I made you worry."

"Well this is all very touching, but we must get started." I snapped my head the other way. Fast enough that I heard it crack.

My father, or simply the man who took me in then discarded me, was standing over me. Sluggishly, still under the effect of the drug, I tried to roll off the bed I was on but was stopped. Dr. Taris-as I'll now refer to him as-had strapped me down, leather strips binded me to the table.

"What...are you going to do?" I asked.

Dr. Taris picked up a needle and flicked it a few times. "Don't think I have not noticed you spending your time with that experiment. As much as potential as it has singularly, maybe once yours and it's genes combine it'll create something truly beautiful."

I wanted to throw up at his words. "You're crazy,"

"No, just curious. Now who first?"

Rocket rattled his cage letting it out a low growl. "I knew you were a lying snake, I just didn't think you could stoop to the level of shit."

Taris turned to face Rocket saying cheerfully, "It appears you've volunteered."

"Kiss my ass you nutjob."

I watched as Taris approached Rocket's cage, the needle poised to puncture the skin. Rocket's defensive growling became louder with each step the man took.

This feeling that I couldn't–wouldn't–let anything else happen was so prominent, that I felt if it was possible for me to want it anymore the very idea of it would jump out of my brain and into reality. But maybe I could make it so nothing else would happen. As I looked back over everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

Rocket's demeanor was crumbling, he knew what would happen and he feared for both himself and me. Taris wasn't facing me, so I couldn't see the expression he was wearing. And for myself, I was strapped down to the metal table. The effects from the drugs had almost worn off but I was still out of it. Even if my body could move without the influence of the drug, I doubted I could break the bonds.

But I needed to. My mind kept going back to the fact that the reason why Rocket was here was because of his involvement with me. If he got hurt...I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I found myself straining break the leather. Everything was still in slow motion. I jerked my limbs up, sideways, any way to try and loosen it. But the leather wouldn't budge.

Taris was reaching to stick Rocket with the needle and that's when it happened. Rocket and I's eyes met. I knew he was accepting his fate; his hatred may be burning in his veins but he knew there was nothing he could do. Something in the 10 year-old me snapped. Rocket, who hated showing weakness or surrendering to anything or anyone was accepting defeat. I don't know why but that pissed me off. Maybe it was that that changed things. Or maybe it was just that my life took a nosedive straight to hell in a matter of days. Whatever it was, from the moment after my next blink, I became acutely aware of everything.

I smelled the salt in the tears rolling down my cheeks. Heard Rocket's heart beating erratically inside his chest. Smelled the cologne that Taris wore, masked by the stench of a thin layer of sweat on the back of his neck. I suddenly knew there were two guards patrolling the hall. One had just smoked earlier today while the other had a fish sandwich for lunch. I heard all the quiet and the noise, information was processed more quickly as I took in everything that I'd been blind to before.

Suddenly, I knew what I could do. I knew my limits better than ever, physically and mentally. I once again focused on my leather bindings. With a few jerks, I was able to do what I wasn't before; break free. Newfound strength rushed through my body and I looked at Taris. I eyed a surgical drill sitting on a table and imagined driving it repeatedly into the back of his head.

He betrayed me. Lied to me since I was able to comprehend words. He hurt someone I cared about. He deserves to be punished.

The world didn't seem to be moving slow anymore. Taris turned around in surprise when I'd escaped. A dumbfounded look was on his face and he nearly dropped the needle.

"It worked…" Taris mumbled.

"Maia!" A voice hissed. I moved my eyes to see Rocket punching his palm with a fist then pointing to Taris. He wanted me to knock him out. I nodded and grabbed something–it happened to be a tray. Taris knew what I planned to do but couldn't do anything to stop it since he lacked in the physical combat category. I jumped, hitting him in the head with the tray. Unconscious Taris crumpled to the floor.

Rocket and I stared at the man like we both couldn't believe that had just happened. I myself stood there unmoving for a few seconds, just staring down at the person I thought I knew but didn't really know at all. Once I'd collected my bearings I blurted out, "Keys...keys to open the cage…"

"Right…" Rocket said. I bent down, shuffling through Taris' garments until I came to his belt hook and found a ring of keys. I held them up in the air with success and passed them off to Rocket.

Soon enough we were both running the halls. The alarms hadn't gone off which gave me some comfort.

"Any idea where we're going?" Rocket questioned.

I looked around, trying to sense any clues. With a deep intake of breath I was hit with the smell of oil. A memory from two years ago surfaced. I was in the hangar bay and the staff was refueling the spacecraft. The oil smelled the exact same back then as it does now.

"This way." I announced continuing down the hallway.

"How'd you know where this was? I thought that bastard barely let you out of your room." Rocket questioned as we entered the hangar.

I shrugged. "I snuck out." I ran over to a relatively nice sized ship and asked, "Please tell me you know how to fly?"

Rocket snorted. "I've been a lab rat all my life and you expect me to know how to fly?"

With a sigh I said, "I guess I'll have to do it then."

A frightened expression took over Rocket's face and he ran up the ramp, finding his way to the pilot's seat. Through the glass he called down to me, "Like hell I'm letting you pilot. Now get in." I smirked at him. Being with Rocket almost made the past few days seem like a dream.

I boarded the ship and took a seat adjacent to Rocket's. "How are we going to get the hangar doors open?" I said more to myself, observing the wide metal doors that stood between them and their freedom.

"I think I know what this red button does," Rocket had a toothy grin on as he turned on the ship. It rumbled to life. The controls lit up and indeed that red button under Rocket's finger did mean something. The word **MISSILE** was printed in big letters splayed across the square button. "Should I push it? I'm gonna push it."

The whistling sound as the missiles left the ship startled them both. They watched as it collided with the doors, an explosion racked the foundation and a blue fire erupted before dying out quickly. In its wake a hole big enough for them to slip through had been created.

"Awesomeee!" Rocket cheered. "Now let's see what this baby can do." He placed his hands on the controls and did what he thought was right. But ended up flying us backwards.

"Nice job."

"Shut up.

Now more focused, Rocket did the opposite and the ship went forward. But we had low altitude, he tried pulling up on the handle and everything jerked up at a fast speed.

"I'm going to buckle up." I commented. I received a glare from Rocket. "Sorry, it's your first time. You're doing a great job." I said this time with no sassiness.

"Thanks." Rocket said, grateful of my support. "Alright I think I got it." Now more smoothly, we sailed forward and through the hole.

The galaxy was beautiful. Millions of stars and different colored lights blinking across a vast area. It was Rocket's first time seeing such a sight. His grip loosened on the control and he stared into the marvel before him. I smiled seeing him so dumbstruck.

I would've loved to stay in that moment, a peaceful time with someone you trusted, but faintly I heard the sounds of engines powering up. "Rocket they're coming after us. We gotta go." I hurriedly said as I shook his shoulder.

Blinking from his daze, he nodded. Rocket navigated the ship past flying asteroids and other dangers. We managed to get those crazy scientists off our trail and now in need of fuel, had landed on an unknown planet. The landing was rough, but thankfully the ship was still in good shape when we were steady on the surface. As the boarding ramp lowered we looked at ourselves. Rocket, an escaped experiment who was feeling a bit exposed and out of place. Myself, I currently wasn't sure if I was a successful experiment or a failure. But we were out of that place, we wouldn't be referred to as experiments anymore.

"We need to find clothes." I said.

Rocket seemed to become self-conscious, rubbing his back. Even if he tried to be subtle about it, I knew he was thinking he didn't want his scars out for everyone to see.

I knelt down, balancing on my toes and rocking slightly to keep from falling over. "I can carry you, no one will see them if I do."

He considered it for a second then nodded. At this time Rocket was about a bit longer than my forearm. He wasn't heavy at all, at times I had to check if he was still there. I carried Rocket like I used to carry my Terran cat I'd gotten as a present–no surprise the cat disappeared a few weeks later. You can guess what happened to it.

We exited the ship and I made sure to close the ramp to keep out any unwanted passersby. With a glance at Rocket, we decided to head to the noisiest place I could hear.

He didn't know the full extent of what happened to me. Just that the shots I was being given over the years enhanced me somehow and Taris faked me being kidnapped to try and awaken whatever they'd been giving me. It failed so they brought me to the room with Rocket. I just left out the claustrophobia and the room with the closing walls, feeling like I was going to die.

We'd arrived at a town. The people there were of a species I'd never seen before. They had long tentacles and were green-skinned. They stood on two legs and called themselves the A'askvarii. We'd landed on their planet called O'erlanii, most of it was covered in oceans so it's a good thing we landed on the mountainous part. The A'askvarii understood us, which was also good since we were a species entirely different.

"We don't have money, but we can work to repay you. Can we have clothes? And a place to stay for the night please?" I asked one of the town members.

I hadn't caught her name yet but she was kind at heart. She welcomed Rocket and I into her home and fed and clothed us. Rocket wasn't to keen about doing housework but it was the least we could do to repay them for their kindness. Besides, we should lay low. We didn't know if Taris was still looking for us or not.

Night came slowly and morning came too fast. We were now well rested and ready to continue our journey. With a farewell said to the people of O'erlanii, Rocket and I headed back to our ship.

As we were taking off I realized it was much better than the last time. "Nice job." I complemented.

"I'm getting the hang of it!" Rocket said and flew us towards the sky. "Where to?"

"Anywhere."

He huffed. "Come on pick a planet."

I threw my hands in the air. "I don't know any planets! Just fly! We'll end up where we end up."

Rocket smirked. "Wise words,"

And so with only the present in mind, the two of us flew off into the galaxy.

—

 **A/n** I tried to do an update a day but I got too excited and posted this now. So prologue is finished!

With it finished, should I continue with young Rocket and 10 year-old Maia or do a timeskip? It'd probably be a timeskip to when Rocket and Groot were first introduced. So timeskip or no timeskip? I'd love the feedback to get a idea of where you guys want it to go, but I have an small idea of where I might take it so please don't be upset if I do something other than what you said ^~^

And thank you to **Bambiexox** and **Cortana Hansen** for reviewing!


	5. Chapter 5

— ᴛᴡᴏ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜs ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ —

At first, living the freedom Rocket and I had envisioned was completely not the life from our dreams. We had to steal to survive, adapt to environments we hadn't been exposed to yet. Agreed it wasn't easy, but with each other a second was never boring.

Rocket used his small size to sneak into places and steal jewelry, money, anything of value. I would be on watch, listening for any approachers that could pose a threat.

And after a while of doing this, we'd gathered enough money to buy a better ship than the one we originally had. With bounty's on our own heads, we decided to become bounty hunters ourselves. It was dangerous, but made good money. And now our story continues, together.

—

 **A/n** So this is a little thing before the major timeskip that takes place next chapter. Groot hasn't appeared during their two months/longer yet, but you can assume in the years timeskip they met and became friends.

Expect a bit of a wait until the next chapter–not too long :3. I want to take my time when I incorporate the canon dialogue into my writing so I make sure I cover everything that I need to (like the description and making sure Maia talks/interacts enough).

And thank you to **Cortana Hansen** and **Bambiexox** for your wonderful reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer —** in case anyone thought i was the marvelous person behind these characters and such, nah. Maia is mine though

— ᴇʟᴇᴠᴇɴ ʏᴇᴀʀs ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ —

Xandar, capital of the Nova Empire and home to intergalactic species. A place of peace, but also a place of illegal trading. So for bounty hunters, it's easy to find someone with a high price on their head drifting around in a crowded place.

Rocket, Groot and I, were at a fountain. Waiting until Rocket found someone with a high enough bounty that caught his eye.

"Xandarians. What a bunch of losers. All of them in a big hurry to get from something stupid to nothing at all. Pathetic." Rocket went on to examine some of the citizens, criticizing them in ways that made me chuckle.

Rocket suddenly laughed and turn to look over his shoulder, "Right, Groot? Groot?" He sighed exaggeratedly. "Don't drink fountain water, you idiot. That's disgusting!"

Groot shook his head no, pretending he wasn't doing anything wrong. "Groot," I began trying to hide my smile, "I saw you too." Groot looked a me like he couldn't believe I sold him out.

"Hah! No use lying buddy," Rocket exclaimed. A beeping sound from Rocket's tablet drew everyone's attention to it. "Looks like we got one. Okay, humie, how bad does someone wanna find you?" After a few seconds of holding his tablet in the air, he said, "Forty thousand units? Guys we're gonna be rich!"

A slurping noise made me look over to Groot, and sure enough he was drinking from the fountain again. I sighed and shook my head.

—

We began to make our way towards our bounty when I smelled something. The stench of death; the kind you get from killing so much it just seeps into your pores and never leaves. I stopped, my eyes searching the hoards of people bumbling about. Then I saw her.

The Zehoberei was leaning against a building, chewing on a food as she listened to our bounty painfully try to flirt. I immediately recognized her long brown to fuchsia ombre hair, the green colored skin of her race that was once near extinct. The daughter of Thanos; Gamora.

"Guys," My tone was serious drawing Rocket's attention up to me. "we gotta hurry."

"Gotcha." Rocket drawled out, his teeth showing as he broke into a grin.

"I am Groot." Groot said holding up the sack he was carrying.

"Yeah yeah, I already told you you can be the one to bag the guy." Rocket answered, waving his hand dismissively.

We picked up the pace, slipping through the crowd, and arrived just to see Gamora straddling our bounty holding a knife in the air above, poised to strike. Like gears moving together in one machine, we spurred into action.

Rocket leaped off the ground and onto Gamora, pushing her off of our bounty and rolling away to continue the skirmish. Before our bounty could regain his bearings, I delivered a hard blow to his solar plexus. He groaned in pain and inhaled sharply, pathetically trying to swat me away. I glanced around once, and seeing as how Groot was still a reasonable distance away, I knelt down on him, my knee on his chest. One of my hands applying pressure to his throat while the other pointing a gun to his head. My eyes flickered down when a voice asked, "Hey lady, let me go? I don't even know why that crazy-" My gun found itself between his eyes.

With a blank stare I told him, "Shut up."

"No! Not her, him!" I turned my head at the sound of Rocket's annoyed voice. Groot was trying to take Gamora, not the one I was restraining. I sighed again, my lips twitching up into a smile as Rocket shouted 'Learn genders, man!' I for one found this whole scene amusing. I was about to call out to Groot to let him know that the one we're grabbing was over here when I felt the man shift beneath me.

I ducked just in time to avoid getting hit with a bolt from one of his blasters. I was thrown off of the bounty as he used the distraction to escape. Swearing under my breath, I hastily made my way to my feet and sprinted after the man.

He was just ahead of me, the Terran carried something in his grasp–a silver ball–but he dropped it with a hiss as a knife flew through the air, skimming his hand but drawing blood.

I looked over my shoulder my expression one of distaste. Gamora. She hacked at Groot before running off the platform and sticking a landing to the ground floor below. That silver ball must be of importance if both she and the bounty are after it. Not long after the Zehoberei had jumped down she'd picked up the ball and was running again. But so was the bounty.

"Hey stop!" I shouted, but was ignored as the man sprung off the railing and sailed down to attack Gamora. I ran over to the railing, watching attentively as the two exchanged blows. My worry that our bounty would get himself killed was soon dispersed as the man attached a gadget–like a jet–to Gamora and sent her flying backwards into a fountain, and behind him Rocket and Groot were ready to grab him. Rocket looked up at me and gave me a thumbs-up after Groot had done just that.

But furious vibrations being sent through the concrete and to me made me look to where Gamora was stalking over, her long machete unsheathed. Rocket had already taken notice of her arrival and like me, wasn't too happy.

I raced towards the stairs to go help my friends, the sounds of battle weren't too far away. I arrived too late to participate, only in time to see Rocket aiming his laser cannon and taking fire, successfully incapacitating their bounty as he fell to the ground shaking from the electricity pulsing through his body.

I would've congratulated them, except it wasn't a job well done, yet. "Rocket!" His conversation with Groot was cut off and he diverted his attention to me. The warning came with little time to prepare ourselves as yellow tractor beams enveloped us.

"Subject 89P13, drop your weapon." It was the Nova Corps. No doubt they'd been alerted to the disturbance we'd been causing in their home territory. They addressed Rocket by an old name, the sound was bitter on my tongue. _Subject 89P13._ Already they knew who we were, as expected of the Nova Corps. "By the authority of the Nova Corps, you are under arrest."

Rocket and I met eyes; I rolled mine, he shrugged, I raised a brow then jerked my head back slightly, and in return Rocket nodded. In translation of this silent conversation, getting caught wasn't so bad. We'd escaped enough prisons to know that another one would be a piece of cake. And to make things better, our bounty was getting arrested with us. When we escaped, we'd take him with us and go get the reward.

Simple as that.

—

 **A/n** So this chapter is the big time skip! I'd say Maia's around 21 or 22 currently. As you can tell I didn't use every piece of dialogue-and might've changed some things up? You'll notice slight differences in the dialogue but I'm sticking to the storyline.

See you next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

We were on the transport shuttle, on the way to the Kyln. A high security prison run by the Nova Corps.

The shuttle shook for the fourth time. The turbulence wasn't getting better. I preferred a smooth ride, especially when there was a cramped space full of two Novas and five convicts including myself. I shifted uncomfortably, drawing my elbows closer to myself to try and gain some leeway. A hand laid itself on mine, I recognized the pad and fur prickling against my skin instantly. Rocket was beside me, head facing the floor ignoring my gaze. I calmed some, reminding myself that I'd be out of the shuttle soon.

"Well ain't that cute?" The bounty, I'd remembered his last name to be Quill, spoke up from across us.

"Shut up ya prick." Rocket snapped, not removing his hand from where it rested upon mine.

"I am Groot." Groot spoke up.

Rocket looked over to him guffawing, "You got that right buddy."

Quill looked confused, his eyes darting between Rocket and Groot. "Did I miss something?"

I smirked almost mockingly, "Did you?"

"I don't know did I?"

"I don't know did you?"

"If you don't silence yourselves I'll have the pleasure of doing it once my hands are free of these restraints." Gamora's icy voice cut through the talking, effectively quieting everyone. I glared at Quill, in return he held up his hands as if to say 'what did I do?'

"We're here." One of the Nova guards announced. I managed a peak out the window and saw the massive structure of which was the Kyln.

—

"I guess most of the Nova Corps wanna uphold the laws, but these ones here, they're corrupt and cruel." Rocket chuckled. "But hey, that's not my problem. I ain't gonna be here long. I've escaped 22 prisons. This one's no different." I rolled my eyes slightly, Rocket loved to boast. "You're lucky the broad showed up because otherwise, my friends and I would be collecting that bounty right now, and you'd be getting drawn and quartered by Yondu and those Ravagers."

We'd been getting escorted through the prison hallways and it finally panned out into a room.

Quill began to speak, "I've had a lot of folks try to kill me over the years. I ain't about to be brought down by a tree, a talking raccoon, and a girl."

I scoffed. "So you think I can't take you down? Want me to hit you again and see how you feel after?"

"Geez what are you a feminist?" Quill quipped.

"Hold!" The guard shouted.

"What's a raccoon?" Rocket questioned, still stuck on Quill's earlier remark.

"'What's a raccoon?' It's what you are stupid." Quill said almost as if it was obvious.

Rocket pounded twice against his chest with his cuffed hands to make the point clearer, "Ain't no thing like me, except me." We'd know better than anyone that that's true.

"So, this Orb has a real shiny blue suitcase, Ark of the Covent, Maltese Falcon sort of vibe." I tilted my head in confusion at the number of foreign words that'd just rolled off Quill's tongue. "What is it?" He asked, addressing Gamora.

"I am Groot." Groot answered instead.

"So what? What's the orb?"

After being silent for the majority of the time Gamora spoke up, "I have no words for an honorless thief."

I laughed at that. "That's rich coming from you, the lackey of a genocidal maniac." Gamora's head turned in my direction, her lips parted in surprise. "That's right I know who you are. Anyone who's anyone knows who you are."

"Yeah, we know who you are." Quill called out–he clearly was lying though. My thoughts were confirmed as he whispered to Groot, "Who is she?"

To which Groot responded, "I am Groot."

Quill's tone hinting at annoyance, he said, "Yeah you said that."

We stopped at a door, the guard began punching in numbers into a keypad embedded in his forearm. When the doors opened I could see all our equipment on a table, ready to be stored in impound.

"I wasn't retrieving the orb for Ronan. I was betraying him. I had an agreement to sell it to a third-party." Gamora revealed. I was still skeptical, could someone who's only known killing suddenly decide to want out and change that quickly? Not possible.

"I am Groot."

"Well, that's just as fascinating as the first 89 times you told me that." Quill aggravatedly said to Groot. "What is wrong with Giving Tree here?"

Rocket was the one to explain. "Well he don't know talking good like me and you. So his vocabulistics is limited to "I" and "am" and "Groot."

I added on, "Exclusively in that order."

"I tell you what, that's gonna wear real thin, real fast." Quill said.

I shrugged. "Sounds like a personal problem." Quill's attention wasn't on the conversation anymore, but in the room with all our equipment.

"Hey!" Quill called out facing the blue alien who was picking up a pair of headphones. "Put that away!" I watched Quill's muscles tense and didn't bother to stop him as he slid in the room beating the closing door. In a demanding voice he ordered, "Listen to me, you big blue bastard. Take those headphones off. That's mine. Those belong to impound." His voice was growing louder as his anger got harder to contain. "That tape and that player is mine!"

Electricity crackled as the guard struck Quill with his stun baton sending him falling to his knees. Quill's face contorted in pain and he said hoarsely, " _Hooked on a Feeling_ , Blue Swede, 1973. That song belongs to me!"

That guy doesn't know when to shut up.

Once again, the guard hit Quill with the stun baton. Now he fell over, shaking on the floor with each jab the guard took. The scene didn't produce much sympathy from me. Quill practically offered himself up to the guard. I focused my attention on the headphones which still played the music.

" _...I'm high on believing...that you're in love with me-e-e…"_

What was so special about that device, I didn't know.

—

We were all separated after that incident. I was brought to a large shower-like area and told to strip down to my underwear, then blasted with orange water. I felt exposed, but as much as I wanted to curl up into a ball in the corner I wanted to get this over with even more.

I was brought to a room where my only company was Gamora. I didn't mind her as I dried off, padding my skin that seemed it'd be stained an orange color forever. Once I was satisfied, I slipped on my designated prison uniform. Minutes later guards came to retrieve Gamora and I.

"You alright?" Rocket asked once we met up.

My brows furrowed in confusion, "Yeah why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," Rocket scratched his ear, looking back forward. "This is the Kyln."

I gently hit him on the head. "I can look after myself you know."

"Yeah I know."

The door in front of us opened and everyone filed out. A wrapped blanket was roughly given to me as we passed by the guards. Noise surrounded me, chatter blending together unintelligibly if I didn't focus on one conversation. We were in the main area with all the other prisoners.

Sensing some of the prisoners tense at our entrance, becoming hostile I muttered, "This is gonna be fun…"


	8. Chapter 8

Raucous calls surrounded us, objects were thrown in our direction, or more like in Gamora's direction.

"It's like I said, she's got a rep." I said out loud to Quill who was regarding the noise with knitted brows. "A lot of prisoners here have lost their families to Ronan and his thugs. She'll last a day, tops."

"The guards will protect her right?" Quill asked.

"They're here to stop us from getting out. They don't care what we do to each other inside."

"Whatever nightmares the future holds, are dreams compared to what's behind me." Gamora spoke up. I glanced at her. I admired her for keeping her cool amidst all this, but she was still someone who murdered in cold-blood. I had to remember that no matter how harmless she seems right now.

Heavy footsteps thundering to a stop grabbed my attention. Quill was being confronted by a large blue alien who did not look friendly.

"Check out the new meat." The alien drawled out. "I'm gonna slather you up in Gunavian jelly-" The arm that the alien was once using to brush against Quill's cheek found itself twisted behind him. I'd grabbed ahold of it, and pinned it to his back, pushing it up not stopping until I heard a pop. The alien cried out and I dropped the limp arm. But used other methods to quickly disable the bigger opponent until he was whimpering on the floor.

"Let's make something clear!" Rocket shouted, "This one here is our booty! You wanna get to him, you go through us! Or, more accurately, we go through you."

I glanced at Rocket and he gave me a thumbs-up. I grinned back.

"I am Groot." A slightly disappointed Groot said.

Rocket tsked and replied as he stepped over the partially conscious blue alien, "If you wanted to do it should've said so."

We began to walk away. Quill's 'I'm with them,' letting me know he wasn't too far behind.

—

I didn't know what time it was when I awoke. I did know that it was late, and whatever woke me wouldn't be doing it again tomorrow. My eyes closed and I listened for anything. I heard footsteps, travelling in a group. One pair sounded more draggy, they weren't walking but being taken along unwillingly. Then there was someone just outside this room, they were heading in the same direction as the others. I breathed in sorting the scents into categories mentally.

Quill. He was the one in the hallway.

I shook Rocket who was curled up beside me asleep. "Rocket! Quill's doing something stupid again!" I whispered-yelled.

Slowly Rocket rose his head and blinked drowsily. "Wha' is it?"

I took a second to run my fingers through his fur, fixing the part that'd become matted down during his sleep. "Quill's doing something stupid. Let's go."

After hearing it for the second time Rocket was more alert. "I can't get my beauty sleep without worrying we're gonna lose our bounty, in a freaking prison. Come on." I maneuvered my way past the sleeping prisoners, stopping to look at Groot who was sleeping, oblivious to what was happening. I decided to let him be and followed after Rocket.

We managed to catch up to Quill at the entrance to the showers.

"Quill!" Rocket hissed. I hurried over to the wall and crouched down behind Rocket. Whatever was happening didn't look good. Four prisoners had surrounded Gamora-another guarding a different entrance, one looked more threatening than the others though.

The bigger one said, "And you know why they call me this."

Another, meeker looking inmate, said, "You slayed dozens of Ronan's minions."

"Ronan murdered my wife, Ovette. And my daughter, Camaria. He slaughtered them where they stood. And he laughed!" I bit the inside of my cheeks, feeling pity for the man. I'd heard of Ronan before and his merciless massacres. Anyone who survives one isn't the same person again.

"Quill?" Rocket tried again. But the man was intently watching the scene unfold before him, ignoring Rocket and I's presence.

"Her life, is not yours to take. He killed my family." The man looked at Gamora. "I shall kill one of his in return."

An inmate held out a knife and placed it in the other's hand, "Of course, Drax. Here...I-"

Just as he did so, Gamora began to fight. Her movements were a flurry as she attacked the two holding her at knifepoint. Breaking their limbs and stealing their weapons. She now held her recently acquired blades at the throats of Drax and another prisoner.

Quill started moving towards the group. I saw him move first and I swatted at his legs, "What are you doing?" I got no response.

Gamora's words seemed to drip with disgust, "I'm no family to Ronan or Thanos." Her next actions surprised me; Gamora took a step back and dropped the blades disarming herself. I paused for a minute ignoring the fact that Quill was inching closer to the others and possibly getting his neck snapped. Gamora said she wanted to betray Ronan, maybe she really did mean it. "I'm your only hope at stopping him." She claimed.

Drax suddenly yelled, grabbing Gamora by the throat and held her up against a wall. "Woman, your words mean nothing to me!" Drax spat out, pointing a blade threateningly at her throat.

"Hey, hey hey hey! Hey hey!" As expected, Quill gave away our location.

"Great job Quill." I muttered.

And cue the painful time when I had to listen to Quill bargain for Gamora's life, in his own strange way.

"You know, if killing Ronan is truly your sole purpose, I don't think this is the best way to go about it."

"Are you not the man this wench attempted to kill?" Drax questioned.

With a smile Quill responded, "Well she's hardly the first woman to try to do that to me." To prove his point, he lifted up his shift showing off a scar that got you hardly any bragging rights. "Look, this is from a smoking-hot Rajak girl, stabbed me with a fork. Didn't like me skipping out on her at sunrise." He continued to do this with other scars, quickly losing both mine and Drax's interest.

I snapped at him, "Quill! Your point?..."

"Right! Right...My point is, she betrayed Ronan. He's coming back for her. And when he does, that's when you," Quill tried to finish his sentence by dragging a finger across his throat.

Drax paused for a second before asking, "Why would I put my finger on his throat?" I was equally confused as him.

"What?" Quill asked, although it was more to himself as he realized that Drax didn't get what he meant. "Oh no it's a symbol," He dragged his finger across his throat again. "This is a symbol for you slicing his throat."

"I would not slice his throat. I would cut his head clean off."

"It's a general expression for you killing somebody." Quill turned to one of the inmates, "You've heard of this. You've seen this, right? You know what that is."

The inmate nodded nervously. "Yeah. Yeah."

"Everyone knows," A faint 'no' from that same inmate made Quill give him a light glare from the corner of his eye. "What I'm saying is, you want to keep her alive. Don't do his work for him." I nodded in approval at his choice of words, he might not be as thick-headed as I first thought.

For once Drax looked unsure. He stared at Quill for a long time, before exhaling heavily and turning his gaze back to Gamora. Tense moments after he did, the hold around Gamora's neck loosened, dropping her to the floor.

"I like your knife. I'm keeping it." Drax announced before leaving the room.

—

Gamora, Quill, Rocket and I all were walking back to the cells.

Quill and Gamora were having a pointless argument, or at least I thought it was. At this moment I was tired and wanted to go back to sleep.

"I could care less whether you live or whether you die." Quill proclaimed.

Gamora flipped around asking, "Then why stop the big guy?"

"Simple. You know where to sell my orb."

"How are we gonna sell it when we and it are still here?"

Quill turned his gaze to Rocket. "My friend Rocket here, has escaped 22 prisons."

Confidently Rocket said, "Oh we're getting out. And then we're heading straight to Yondu to retrieve your bounty."

"How much was your buyer willing to pay you for my orb?" Quill asked Gamora.

I stepped in saying, "Woah don't try and change the subject. Yondu's paying forty thousand units to find you. I doubt an orb can top that."

I was given a smirk and Quill said to me, "Oh you can doubt sweetheart. Because when you hear the price on my orb, you'll change your mind."

"Don't 'sweetheart' me." I deadpanned,

"Alright!" Quill's tone gave little promise he'd follow up on his word. "So, how much was your buyer willing to pay?"

"Four billion units."

Everyone had different reactions upon hearing this. Rocket exclaimed 'What?!', and Quill a 'Holy shit!'. My jaw dropped slightly but I snapped it closed when I felt it drifting. Four billion units...that's definitely not the price I'd imagined.

"That orb is my opportunity to get away from Thanos and Ronan. If you free us, I'll lead you to the buyer directly and I'll split the profit between the four of us." Gamora told Rocket.

"I am Groot."

"Five of us." I corrected.

"Asleep for the danger, awake for the money, as per frickin' usual." Rocket criticized Groot, who groaned in a disapproving way.

—

 **A/n** Another update! I'm really liking how this story is going, I might be able to keep doing a couple updates a week ^~^ Do you think Maia doesn't talk much? I'm writing her character out to be the type who prefers to observe. But if she needs to be involved more let me know!

And **Bambiexox** thanks for the suggestion! I really liked the idea of having Rocket and Maia getting separated when the time for Yondu's ship comes. I'll do my best to write it in the future!


	9. Chapter 9

"If we're gonna get out of here we're gonna need to get into that watchtower. And to do that, I'm gonna need a few things." The lunch line moved along at a steady pace. As we received our food, Rocket explained the escape plan he'd formulated overnight. "The guards wear security bands to control their ins and outs. I need one."

"Leave it to me." Gamora took this task.

"That dude there," Rocket nodded towards a prisoner with one bum leg. "I need his prosthetic leg." Upon hearing Rocket's words I did my best to hide my snickers for I knew he didn't _really need_ that leg. But I didn't want to ruin his fun so I kept quiet.

Quill questioned in almost disbelief, "His leg?"

"Yeah." Rocket confirmed. "God knows I don't need the rest of him. Look at him, he's useless."

"All right." Quill said, skeptical a bit but he'd be the one to get the leg.

"I'll go with Quill." I announced.

"Aw come on. You don't trust me enough that I can't get a leg by myself?" Quill questioned, to which I raised a brow.

"Chill guys. Maia goes with Quill to get the leg." My part in the plan was settled by Rocket, who then went on to say, "And finally, on the wall back there is a black panel. Blinky yellow light. Do you see it?" I turned my head around and saw it attached to the watchtower's pillar.

Quill and I answered, "Yeah." simultaneously. We exchanged glares as Rocket continued talking.

"There's a quarnyx battery behind it. Purplish box, green wires. To get into that watchtower I definitely need it."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Gamora asked.

"Well, supposably these bald-bodies find you attractive." Rocket joked, or he might've been serious.

I looked away from Rocket and noticed Groot wasn't at the table. Then came the familiar sound of branches cracking, wood groaning, the sound when Groot stretches himself. I flipped around towards the watchtower and sure enough there was Groot, doing exactly what Rocket said not to.

"Guys-"

"You must be joking."

"No, I really heard they find you attractive."

"Guys!" I repeated louder.

"What is it now Princess?"

I sent a look towards Quill that said 'call-me-any-stupid-name-again-and-I'll-shoot-my-gun-where-the-sun-don't-shine.' His face became impassive and he gave a nervous gulp. I smiled, hoping to creep him out even more.

But back to business. "Now look." I pointed towards Groot, who had just about finished getting the quarnyx battery. Since he was already so close to doing it, we could only watch from our seats as Groot worked.

Rocket groaned. "As I was about to say…" He began loudly, "Once the battery is removed, everything is gonna slam into emergency mode. So we definitely need to _get that last."_ Groot pulled the wires on the battery, unattaching it from its place on the wall. A pulsing sound filled the room, soon followed by the alarms. Rocket sighed, standing up shouting sarcastically, "Great job Groot!" Groot turned around, him not hearing the sarcasm, and gave Rocket a thumbs-up. "All right time to improvise!"

"I'll get the armband." Gamora said.

"We'll get the leg." I said.

Quill and I hurried away from where the fight was taking place in front of the watchtower.

"Any idea on where the guy is?" Quill asked, backing into a sleeping area to avoid getting spotted from the drones.

"Give me a second." I said and closed my eyes. The prisoners currently running about didn't send out the same vibrations as one with a prosthetic leg. This proved to be a problem for me, if I couldn't feel the leg, then we'd have a harder time finding him.

"Do you have a secret power or something? Oh are you like a Jedi?" Quill asked excited.

I opened one eye. "No idea what that means. And I actually meant give me a minute of silence."

Quill scoffed in shock, "You don't know Star Wars? Wait I've been assuming you're Terran this whole time–please. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"No you're right. I'm from Terra."

"So I did guess right! How did you end up with the raccoon and tree then? If you don't mind me asking."

I had closed my eyes again. I did, in fact, mind him asking. My history with Rocket was personal. Groot, Rocket and I met him on one of our trips. But he didn't need to know that. If I told Quill one thing about me he'd ask more questions. And questions lead to answers. Which I don't feel like giving him.

So instead of supplying him with the knowledge he wanted, I searched for the guy with the prosthetic leg. And I soon found him, in one of the smaller sleeping areas. He'd just stood up and was looking down at the ruckus Rocket and Groot were causing, no doubt wondering if they were ever going to stop.

I snapped my eyes open. "Found him. Let's go."

"So I take it you do mind. But how'd you do that? You're not lying right? You actually found him?" When he knew he wasn't going to get anything out of me on one subject he moved to the next. Quill's talkative–and frankly annoying–self kept firing questions at me.

I did my best to ignore him as we rushed down the platform and to the other sleeping area, but when I couldn't stand the sound of his pestering voice anymore, I snapped, "Quill! Why do you want to know how I did what I did?" We stared at each other for a long minute. I realized we've been doing a lot of that lately. Staring at each other. No matter how much I did it didn't make his mug any prettier.

Finally Quill shrugged. He spoke in an unsure voice, like he was still deciding if it was the right thing to say, "I don't know...it seems cool? I guess?"

I facepalmed, groaning into my hand. Slowly I dragged my hand off my face and started walking again. "I'll tell you when we get out of here, alright?"

"Fine by me!"

—

We arrived at the destination, somehow managing to avoid any confrontations with the guards. Like I'd thought the one with the prosthetic leg was sitting in the room. His eyes looked us over upon entering, wondering why we were here at a time like this.

When Quill wasn't doing anything, just standing there stupid, I shoved him forward a signal for him to start talking.

"So I'm just gonna lay it out for you. I need your leg."

The man rose his brows like he couldn't believe what he was hearing and asked incredulously, "You need my what?"

"Leg!" Quill exclaimed, "Come on! I really need it. There's no time to explain this is life or death."

"I'm not giving you my leg, who do you think you are?" The man folded his arms and gave Quill a steely look.

Seeing as how this wasn't going to go anywhere, I hopped forward and placed my hands on Quill's shoulders, "Quill will pay you if you give it to him."

"I will?" Quill asked in confusion

"He will?" The man echoed just the same.

"Yes! Does 10,000 units sound good?" I bargained.

"That's a little much isn't-"

"Shush!" I hushed Quill's mumbling and waited patiently for the prisoners answer.

The man looked at his prosthetic leg with calculating eyes, the prolonged silence made it seem he wasn't going to consent to the deal. But finally, he said, "Make it 30,000."

"It's just a leg!" Quill shouted.

"He'll do it. Now Quill, be a nice outlaw and transfer the man his units." I heard Quill scoff but if he didn't want to get hit he'd do as told.

Quill ended up doing it since by the time we left that sleeping area he hadn't acquired any new bruises.

—

Now that we had the leg, we had to make it back to the watchtower while not getting killed. We were running down the platform when a guard stepped into our path, pointing his weapon at us. My hands drifted up into a surrendering position, Quill gripped the leg not intending on letting it go.

"Drop the leg!" The guard shouted. He began to inch closer to us. Discreetly I nudged Quill with my foot. Our eyes met and I nodded.

I ran forward surprising the guard and grabbed ahold of the gun, yanking it towards me while delivering a punch to his throat. The once firm grip the guard had around his gun loosened and I disarmed him then stepped back. Quill came up beside me and whacked the man in the head with the foot, rendering him unconscious.

I looked at the guard at the floor and gave Quill an approving nod. "Nice job."

He smiled at me. "You did pretty good yourself."

I examined the gun in my hands. Deciding I was fine without it I tossed it to Quill who barely managed to catch it without any notice. "You'll probably need it." I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Quill asked in a defensive tone.

"Nothing. Let's head to the watchtower, they're almost ready down there."

I'd managed to get a look at how Rocket and Groot were doing. Gamora had gotten the armband to them and Groot was growing himself up the watchtower to create somewhat of a ladder.

So far everything was going good.

—

 **A/n** says I might be able to do a couple updates a week then get hit with a case of writer's block *cough* Here's another chapter! Sorry if it seems meh, blame my writers block. See you next time!


	10. Chapter 10

With Quill carrying the blaster, we hurried down to the main floor and over to the tower. I didn't wait for him and began climbing Groot, finding footholds on the twisting vines.

I glanced down, wanting to brush the hair tickling at my cheeks behind my ears but didn't in case I lost my balance, and saw Quill a few feet under me. A humming sound filled the air, a drone was close. "Quill hurry up!" I shouted at him.

"What do you think I'm…" His retort died out as a drone appeared next to him, preparing to fire and fill him with holes. My muscles tensed to jump and land on it. The drone had a loose panel that vibrated from the force of the engines. If I pulled on it hard enough the wires would be exposed, and with those wires yanked out the drone would stall and go crashing to the floor. But I saw I didn't need to do anything, there was already someone taking action.

Drax, who'd made quite the impression the previous night, had sprung up with a ferocious yell and used his weight to pull the drone down with him as he plummeted. Once Drax had ripped the drone apart with his bare hands, he called up, "You! Man who has lain with an A'askavariian!"

I snorted. Beneath me Quill rolled his eyes and muttered, "That was one time, man."

"Enough for him, apparently." I said to Quill.

"Shut up."

As we continued our climb, I felt Groot's vines strain slightly. Drax was ascending below us. I didn't trust him much, but I was thankful for the extra muscle.

I arrived on the upper platform first, Quill not too far behind me.

"Here," I offered a hand for him to take and he shoved the prosthetic foot into it. As he rolled himself over the railing, I threw it back him. When he gave me a strange look I only said, "Let's go."

"Rocket! We made it!" We had walked around to the control center's entrance and I greeted the first one I saw, who happened to be Rocket. Gamora and Groot were with him, who I gave one a warmer smile than the other.

"Great. You pick up the whack-job on your way intentionally?"

I didn't need to turn my head to know Drax was standing behind me. "He helped." I said. "He's good."

"Alright," Rocket drawled out, skeptical.

"What is the rest of your plan?" Gamora asked, her eyes were darting around the air in search of any drones that might attack.

"Just hold on." Rocket hopped up to the panel for opening the door and revealed its wires. After a few seconds of fiddling around, the door opened with a loud hiss. There was the first door which slid open painfully slow, then two more thick doors. It gave them enough time to prepare for whoever–or whatever–might be inside.

Sitting on a chair, already surrendering, was a single man. We filled in, Gamora pushing the man from his seat to get a look at the control board. A yell made me turn my head, and I looked just in time to see Groot pulling the man from the room, then walking in appearing rather satisfied himself. I raised a brow at him then focused my attention back forward.

"Spare me your foul gaze, woman." Drax said to Gamora when they met eyes.

"Why is this one here?" She asked, her tone expressing her annoyance.

"Were you not listening earlier?" I asked. "He can fight. The more muscle we have the better if we're to get that orb to your buyer." Gamora's jaw clenched at my innocent yet mocking words. But she did nothing to retaliate.

"Your reason for my being here is entirely different." Drax then addressed Quill, "You did not lie about our promise, no?"

Quill gave a big denying shake of his head, "Noooo we aren't lying about the promise. You can stay as long as you want until you kill Ronan. Oh, and here you go." Quill plopped the prosthetic leg down on the control board.

Rocket glanced at it then revealed, "Oh I was kidding about the leg, I just need these two things."

"What?!" Quill exclaimed in disbelief, while I was trying not to laugh.

Rocket although, didn't try to keep his amusement hidden. He chuckled a broad grin on his face as he spoke, "No, I thought it'd be funny. Was it funny?"

"It was funny." I said with a smile.

"It was not." Quill snapped back. "I had to transfer him 30,000 units!"

"And it was painful to watch you trying." I said to Quill. I jerked a thumb in his direction, "This guy would have never have gotten it without me. He has terrible bargaining skills."

Quill's brows furrowed and and he said accusingly to me, "You already knew. Asshole! Did you plan this with your, freaky raccoon friend?"

Anger flooded me but I calmed myself, knowing there were more important things at hand than slapping some impudent Terran who can't take a joke. So instead, I told him, "Speak ill of me or my friend one more time, and you won't be able to walk your bones will be that broken." Quill blinked, taken aback by my sudden ferocity. "And remember who's getting you out of this prison." I added on.

In the quietness of the room Rocket's low whistle reached my ears, "Now there's a girl you don't wanna piss off."

"How are we gonna leave?" Drax's abrupt question brought everyone back to the matter at hand.

"Be careful, a drone is coming." I warned after hearing a humming sound in the air. I received a few strange looks, but then one appeared and began shooting at us. Thankfully the glass was bulletproof. They didn't know how I'd done it but they'd listen to me for the next time.

"As to Drax's question," Quill started, "supposedly he's got a plan. Right? Or is that another thing you made up?!"

"Hey!" I snapped at Quill, only to lower my voice to a gentler tone. "Be calm."

Quill snorted, "That's great advice coming from you."

"I have a plan! I have a plan!" Rocket insisted as he walked back and forth along the control board, pressing buttons and whatnot.

"Cease your yammering, and relieve us from this irksome confinement." Drax said.

"Yeah I'll have to agree with the walking thesaurus on that one." Quill commented. I rolled my eyes at him.

Drax looked over at Quill, offended. "Do not ever call me a thesaurus."

Trying to ease things up, Quill explained, "It's just a metaphor, dude."

"His people are completely literal." Rocket told him. "Metaphors are gonna go over his head."

"Nothing goes over my head." Drax said, going on to say, "My reflexes are too fast. I would catch it."

Gamora spoke up, sounding truly done with everyone, "I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy."

Heavy footsteps were approaching below. I inched closer to the window to see a new group of guards, carrying some rather large guns. "Guys, we need to hurry this up." I said and pointed to below.

Seeing them take aim, I put one hand on a wall to keep my balance for when the force of the guns came rocking the tower. The first one came, startling me. But it didn't do as much damage as I'd originally thought. The glass did crack though, setting panic into most of us.

"Rodent we are ready for your plan." Gamora said impatiently.

"Hold on!" Rocket roared. Another gun shot at the glass.

"I recognize this animal. We'd roast them over a flame pit as children. Their flesh was quite delicious." Drax felt the need to share.

I glared at him. "Not helping."

I winced as a another gun blasted the glass, the explosion a burst of bright flames that died out quickly. What was left was damaged glass, it's cracks spreading outwards from the origin like spiderwebs.

 _All fire on my command!_

I stilled myself, making sure I'd heard right. Below the firing squad–not just one, but all–were reading to deliver a final below. I hurried towards Rocket, kneeling down so I could say in a voice only he and I would hear, "All of them are going to fire. You got this right?"

Without looking at me Rocket replied jokingly, "Don't start doubting me now." As if he could feel my stare, meaning he didn't give me a good enough answer, Rocket sighed and said, "Yeah, I got this. Do me a favor and go tell those idiots to keep their marbles in check." I grinned, standing back up to my full height.

I didn't have to snap at anyone although. The tension was high and no one spoke. Rocket was working faster than ever in the three second countdown. He plugged two cords together, and a droning sound filled the air, the blast never came.

Slowly, prisoners and guards alike drifted up from the floor. Their expressions a mixture of horror and confusement. Gamora leaned forward, watching the sight with a hint of amusement in her eyes. "He turned off the artificial gravity everywhere but in here." Rocket wasn't done yet. With some more adjustments, the tower they were in suddenly groaned. It jolted once before the room they were in detached itself from the tower. We were just floating until drones began pushing us from beneath.

Rocket was smug as he said, "I told you I had a plan." I smiled at that.

We now were–attempting–to navigate through the hallways. They were definitely not made for a control room being pushed by drones in a zero-gravity situation. We bumped into one wall, then bounced off another, soon we started to ricochet around. Finally, we hit a wall that caused us to come to an abrupt stop. Rocket closed the doors to the room we'd slid into behind us, no doubt securing our escape.

"That was a pretty good plan." Quill admitted. The others nodded in agreement.

—

We had made our way out of the wreckage that was once the control room. Quill was over by a window, searching for something.

"Yeah! There it is!" He exclaimed. "Get my ship. It's the Milano, the orange and blue one over in the corner." Milano? What kind of name was that?

"They crumpled my pants up into a ball. That's rude! They folded yours!" Rocket complained to Drax.

"How are we getting to the ship?" I asked. Rocket looked like he was about to answer, but I zoned him out focusing on Quill and Gamora's words instead.

"Get them to the ship. I will be right back."

"How are you gonna possibly…"

"Just keep the Milano close by. Go!"

Gamora stalked over. "Let's go. Quill will meet us at the ship, somehow."

"What?" Rocket said in confusion, "Why the hell would he do that?"

"Either to double-cross us or he really does have to retrieve something." I spoke up. A flicker of confusion passed over Gamora's face and she patted the satchel, which was supposed to be holding the orb.

Gamora's features contorted in rage and she shouted, "That bastard! I will kill him!"

"What is it?" Drax questioned.

"Quill took the orb with him." I explained. "But there's nothing we can do, let's go to the Milano and wait."

"We could find him before he takes an escape pod and then we have to track him down again." Rocket suggested.

"No. The ship." Gamora didn't look like she was going to budge, but after a heavy sigh she headed to the hangar door. Everyone followed.

Rocket paused to ask me a question, "Why are you so set that that idiot won't betray us?"

I already knew the answer so I told him right away. "He's given me no reason to trust him. But if he returns with the orb, I'll consider not threatening to kill him everytime he pisses me off."

And so, our group followed Quill's instructions where we found the Milano.


	11. Chapter 11

After retrieving the Milano, we had flown it out of the prison. Now we were waiting for Quill, in space, where it seemed there was no possibility he could reach us.

Rocket had noticed that problem too. He shouted, "Well how's he gonna get to us?!"

"He declined to share that information with me." Gamora said.

"Well, screw this then! I ain't waiting around for some humie with a death wish."

"Rocket," I started in calm voice, "He has the orb. We can't leave without him."

Rocket let out an exasperated groan. "Yeah there's that, but if we don't leave now we'll probably get blown to bits! I personally, like the way I look."

"No! We're not leaving without the orb." Gamora made clear.

I strained my ears. Listening for any sign that signaled Quill wasn't betraying us. I didn't know why I'd tried, I already knew I couldn't hear past the boundaries of the Milano. Space was...a darkness, void of sound. It was both beautiful and terrifying.

"Behold!" Drax exclaimed, grabbing our attention. What I saw next made me smirk; and that was Quill zooming towards us from the Klyn.

—

Quill soon climbed out of the hatch, officially boarding the ship.

As Drax helped Quill up he said, "This one shows spirit. He shall make a keen ally in the battle against Ronan." That is, if he doesn't get himself killed first. "Companion, what were you retrieving?"

I watched interested, as Quill pulled out a box showing it to Drax. He no longer thought so highly of Quill as he said, "You're an imbecile."

"Why would you risk your life for a box?" I asked.

Quill looked at me, offended. "That is not a box. It's a cassette tape." Seeing as how the blatant confusion hadn't left my face–nor the others–he elaborated, "It plays music." He looked at me more than the others with expectancy. When my blank expression didn't change, Quill said, "Seriously what's your deal! You don't know Star Wars, cassette tapes, it's like you didn't even grow up on Earth." My eyes moved away, he'd hit a nerve.

With Quill's strange tastes, he probably knew it was a shot in the dark to say that. But when I averted my gaze, his mouth drifted open in realization. "Ohhh, so you didn't–"

"Hey Quill." Rocket's voice cut him off. "Shut up."

Quill held up his hands in a 'no harm' gesture. Then his lips curved into a smirk, "But you did say you'd tell me how your powers work."

"Oh how about I show you?" I questioned, stalking towards him. Quill stumbled backwards and hit his head on a wall, wincing from the sudden pain. An arm reached out hitting me in my chest. I looked sideways to see Groot standing there, his lips curled downwards almost in disapproval.

"I am Groot." It took me a second to–or attempt to–translate it. Rocket had easily learned Groot's simplistic yet complicated language, and on our free time he tried to teach me how to understand him. As of now, I barely could.

What I could make out was that Groot was scolding me. I sighed, taking a step back. Apologetically, I looked at Groot and said, "I'm sorry."

"Hey! You should be apologizing to me!" Quill called out.

"It is not her fault you get intimidated easily." Gamora said.

"I do not get intimidated ea–" Gamora stomped in his direction, causing Quill to jump. She looked satisfied then headed to the cockpit.

"You said you wouldn't threaten to kill him if he came back with the orb." Rocket reminded me, but from the looks of it he didn't mind that I did it again at all. He found it rather amusing.

I glanced down at him then shrugged. "Some things can't be helped."

—

I was sitting on a stool, playing with a gadget I'd picked up on some planet. It was compelling to look at, especially when bored, as I was now. It was spherical and seemed to display numerous galaxies from different quadrants* inside. To change the galaxy, all you'd have to do was shake it.

Rocket was nearby, fiddling with some objects. He'd told me earlier that since 'this humie doesn't have any good explosives, I might as well make them myself.' It was peaceful, until a certain someone showed up.

Quill came into the room, and upon seeing what Rocket was doing he said, "Woah woah woah! Woah! Yo Ranger Rick! What are you doing?" He was irritated, I noticed. "You can't take apart my ship without asking me!" Quill stopped in front of Rocket's finished products, and tried to pick one of them up.

Rocket responded with a harsh, "Don't touch that!"

Sudden understanding dawned upon Quill and he asked, "Is that a bomb?"

"Yup."

"And you leave it lying around?"

"I was gonna put it in the box."

"What's a box gonna do?"

"Stop idiots like you from grabbing it on a whim." I supplied. Quill shot me an annoyed look while Rocket laughed.

"What about this one?" Rocket asked as he opened a drawer, but found it not empty. Instead he pulled out a small box, wrapped in colorful paper tied in a blue bow.

Quill's eyes widened in alarm. "No! Whoa, hey!" He kicked the drawer back closed and said afterwards, "Leave it alone."

"Why? What is it?" Rocket asked with curiosity.

"Shut up."

My eyes snapped up to glare at Quill's back. I thought of yelling at him. But since we're stuck together until the orb could be sold, it would be for the best not to put any more strain on our relationship–if that's what you'd call it.

"What is that?" Quill asked, nodding to another object lying on the floor.

"That's for if things get really hardcore. Or if you wanna blow up moons."

Gamora was quick to say, "No one's blowing up moons."

"It'd be interesting though." I mumbled, and gave my gadget another shake.

—

We were all gathered around a table.

"So listen," Quill began, addressing Gamora. "I'm gonna need your buyer's coordinates."

"We're heading in the right direction. For now." I narrowed my eyes. Why hide the location of her buyer if we were all going to get there eventually?

Quill seemed to be along the lines of what I was thinking as he said, "If we're gonna work together, you might try trusting me a little bit."

Gamora responded with, "And how much do you trust me?"

"I'd trust you a lot more if you told me what this was." Quill said as he held the orb up. I eyed the silver ball. I had to admit, even I shared that burning need to know why that object was so special. "Because I'm guessing, it's some kind of weapon." He set the orb down on a table.

"I don't know what it is."

Drax picked the orb up and said, "If it's a weapon, we should use it against Ronan."

"We don't even know what it is." I said, making it sound like that would be a bad idea–which it would be.

"But if she told us–" Quill said and pointed at Gamora, implying she was lying.

Gamora's brows drew together in annoyance. "I already said I don't know what it is. And you–put it down before you destroy us all."

At her words, Drax leaned across the table shouting, "Or just you, murderess!"

The situation began to escalate as Gamora stalked around to face Drax and spat back, "I let you live once, princess!"

"I am not a princess!"

"Hey!" Quill cut in. "Nobody is killing anybody on my ship! We're stuck together until we get the money."

"Couldn't have said it better myself." I praised him. That was practically just what I was thinking earlier. Although coming from me it probably sounded sarcastic, which explained the weird look I got from him.

Drax threw the orb back at Quill then announced. "I have no interest in money." After, he walked off to some other part of the ship.

"Great. That means more money for the four of us." Quill said, but he'd forgot one. Groot huffed, making himself known. "Five of us. Partners."

"We have an agreement, but I would never be partners with the likes of you." Gamora said.

"An agreement, not a partnership." I restated Gamora's words, affirming that I didn't agree with him classifying us all as 'partners' either.

"I'll tell the buyer we're on our way. And Quill, your ship is filthy." Gamora spoke then left the room.

After her departure, Quill looked towards Rocket and I with a smirk. "Oh she has no idea. If I had a black light, the place would look like a Jackson Pollock painting."

I rolled my eyes.

"You got issues, Quill." Rocket told him, although I don't think the words would ever get through to his brain.

—

 **A/n** *I'm not sure if there's multiple quadrants in GOTG, I'm just thinking it of a name to classify different galaxies/large sections of space. Pretty sure I've heard that term being used before but if not that's what I meant.


	12. Chapter 12

I lounged in the cockpit, still drowsy from my earlier nap. Gamora had come over a few times to Rocket, who was piloting the ship, to give corrections on our heading. Rocket would regard her with a 'well why don't you fly the ship yourself?'.

I sunk further into my seat. The ride itself wasn't long compared to the other places I'd traveled to. But when I'm trying to sleep and and Quill's blasting his music below–which happened to be the very thing that woke me up–now I couldn't wait until we got to wherever we were going.

I moved my gaze to the glass, looking into space. We zoomed past asteroids and distant stars illuminating a kaleidoscope of colors that still amazed me no matter how many times I saw them.

Another hour passed, and then we came upon our destination. I sat up, my fatigue fading away as I took in what was in front of us. It was a giant head, it didn't look artificial. It was almost if it had been apart of something once, something big at that.

"Heads up! We're inbound!" Rocket called down to Quill.

Quill ascended the stairs leading to the cockpit and gaped at the enormous head. "Whoa."

"What is it?" Drax asked, not to anyone in particular.

"It's called Knowhere." Gamora finally revealed. "The severed head of an ancient celestial being. Be wary heading in, Rodent. There are no regulations whatsoever."

I moved my eyes from Gamora back to Knowhere as we approached it steadily. No regulations can go either way. I wasn't too worried about what could go wrong, and I wasn't about to start calculating the ways it might.

—

We'd landed the ship in a hangar and now we're walking through crowds. The sounds of machinery mixed in with the chatter created a cacophony. I focused on the steady sound of my footsteps. The muffled smack as my sole collided with the dirt ground was enough to keep my thoughts in order. As Gamora began to explain what the machines were doing here, I fixated my attention on her instead.

"Hundreds of years ago, the Tivan Group sent workers in to mine the organic matter within the skull. Bone, brain tissue, spinal fluid. All rare resources, highly valued in black markets across the galaxy. It's dangerous and illegal work, suitable only for outlaws."

"Well, I come from a planet of outlaws." Quill proclaimed. "Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde, John Stamos."

"It sounds like a place which I would like to visit." Drax commented.

"Yeah you should."

A group of children were heading in our direction, they looked to be on the unfortunate end. I pitied them, but I doubt any of us would enjoy getting robbed. "Watch your wallets." I warned. The children weaved through us, asking for any spare units. I kept my gaze locked forward avoiding their eyes. I knew what begging was like, it had disgusted me to stoop that low. But it had been for survival, like these kids were trying to do now. I knew if I looked at them I'd give them a few units, so I didn't. Their pleas died out, growing quieter as they molded back into the crowd.

I glanced back, their small figures lost in the mass. I wished them good luck, and that they might get a better life in the distant future. But we all know how unlikely that is, since reality is so cruel.

—

"Your buyer's in there?" Rocket questioned, his tone skeptical.

Before us was a casino. It didn't seem like the likely meeting place for someone whose identity was kept secret this whole time.

"We are to wait here for his representative." Gamora told us.

I raised a brow as a bouncer roughly threw a person outside. "And you're sure this is it?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"This is no respectable establishment." Drax said with contempt. "What do you expect is to do while we wait?"

—

Drax had taken quite the liking to Orloni fighting ring. The animals were on a table surrounded by a rowdy crowd–which included Rocket and Groot, I was at a table further away from all that.

I had bought a nonalcoholic drink, I realized that with my enhanced senses getting drunk would not be a good thing from early on. Leisurely, I moved my straw in a circular motion in my cup. I wondered where Quill and Gamora had wandered off to, but I didn't get the chance to ponder much on it as Drax suddenly exclaimed,

"My Orloni has won, as I won at all things! Now, let's put more of this liquid into our bodies." I rolled my eyes as everyone cheered. They're going to get themselves drunk, they probably already are.

A smile tugged at my lips. But it was nice to relax once in a while. And Rocket and Groot seem to be having fun. I spotted them downing another drink.

I sipped on my strawberry flavored beverage. Currently I was on my fifth one. The night was progressing smoothly. There was some entertainment from Drax as he randomly bursted into a song about war, Rocket would try to knock glasses off tables only to be stopped by Groot who knocked Rocket over instead.

So yes the night was progressing smoothly. That is until I picked up Rocket's voice. He slurred his words, a sign that he was drunk and not in his right mind of what he would say next. "So like...whas' the deal with your tattoos? Like why would somebody wanna get their whole body, tattooed? It just looks stupid!"

Drax snapped his eyes down to Rocket. The man clearly offended as he glared daggers and gripped his skin, tracing the marks with his fingertips. "These tattoos, are in honor my family! You impudent ver-" Before Drax could finish, I was between them. I needed to stop this from escalating, now.

"Guys! Why don't we go find Gamora and Quill?"

Drax did not break his stare with Rocket as he said in a low tone, "I will not go anywhere with this disrespectful rodent."

Rocket laughed. "How am I disrespectful? Ya know you're the idiot here! Idiot!" And that was the final straw.

Drax let out a furious roar then raised a fist, bringing it down to strike the place where Rocket had scampered away from. Rocket now was climbing Drax, making his way to his head where he began to punch him repeatedly.

"Rocket! Drax!" I snapped. My words fell on deaf ears and I exhaled irritatedly. I stepped forward, careful to avoid Drax's flailing arms, and reached out to grab Rocket off of the back of Drax's head.

To my dismay, he jumped down next to Groot–who began fighting as well–before I could get ahold of him. I looked over at the two in disapproval, meanwhile forgetting how close I was to Drax. He turned sharply, an outstretched hand curled into a fist striking me in the cheekbone.

I recoiled, losing my balance as I did. As I stumbled backwards, my feet tripped over themselves and I felt myself falling. My body twisted in an attempt to put myself upright, but there was a sudden impact that shook my brain and sent black spots swimming into my vision. Then I slumped to the floor, unconscious.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/n** This chapter is bad but I've had writers block forever and I needed to finish it, so here ya go

* * *

"...ia...hey!"

I groaned, shifting slightly. My head hurt like hell, most of the pain spread from the back of my skull. A hand drifted up to feel the sore spot but pulled away sharply as I hissed in pain.

"Can you be chill…?"

"Yeah."

I had yet to open my eyes but when a hand slapped my cheek, I cracked them open, glaring at none other than Quill. He grinned at me, but his eyes held a more serious look. Gamora stood nearby with an impassive expression. Rocket was further away, his head tilted towards the floor, looking glum. The same could be said for Groot. The only one missing was Drax.

I moved my eyes back forward, looking sideways caused my temples to ache and I didn't need to deal with that right now. I noted everyone's hearts were beating faster than usual. The surrounding crowd murmured words either in annoyance or fright. And I was on the floor, not able to recall how I ended up there. "What happened?" I asked, dragging myself to my feet.

"Whoa! Slow down you just had a nasty fall!" Quill said one of his hands hovering above my shoulder, as if to steady me if I decided to tumble over again.

I brushed his hand away then repeated, "What happened?"

"You were knocked out when some of us got drunk and started fighting." Gamora supplied, her tone was softer than usual. My eyes lingered on her before drifting to the floor. Her words were helpful, but I couldn't place what supposedly happened in my fuzzy memory.

"You sure you're good?" Quill asked. I shook my head yes. Even though I knew it'd take some time for me to be back to top-notch. Getting hit in the head always messed me up. It jumbles my brain, my senses.

Rocket, who was standing silently a good distance away, hadn't even looked at me since my waking. My brows were furrowed in worry, maybe in that fight Gamora was talking about he got hurt more than he's letting show.

I walked over to him, taking it slow for with each step my head throbbed slightly. Then asked, "You alright?"

Rocket perked up at my arrival, but angled his head away avoiding my gaze. "Yeah...Just fine." I stared down at him with a puzzled look, what was with him?

I found I wouldn't get my chance to push any further when hiss of a door opening grabbed our attention. Across the room, a Krylorian smiling broadly greeted us. "Milady Gamora, I'm here to fetch you for my master."

As we walked towards her the crowd parted for us, their dirty looks burning holes into my back. I was glad once the doors shut behind us; we must've caused quite the disturbance.

The dimly lit hall we were led down was definitely sketchy. Quill and Gamora took lead, followed by Rocket and Groot, me in the back.

When the next door opened, I was completely disgusted by what I saw. Glass cages, millions of them filled the room. Each of them contained organisms out for display. It reminded me of _that place._ I tried to remain impassive, keeping my expression neutral. We were at the end of the line; sell to buyer, collect and leave. No need for any more incidents.

As we walked the Krylorian began to give us an unnecessary tour. "We house the galaxy's largest collection of fauna, relics, and species of all manner." The room opened up into a wide space. There was a man standing facing away from us, a fur coat draped over his shoulder matched his spiked white hair. "I present to you, Taneleer Tivan. The Collector." He turned and I looked him over. If he became a threat I could take him down.

The Collector ignored the rest of us, making a bee-line to Gamora. "Oh my dear Gamora. How wonderful to meet you in the flesh." I rolled my eyes as he kissed her knuckles.

"Let's bypass the formalities, Tivan. We have what we discussed." She said. He didn't acknowledge that he heard her, but instead stared over her shoulder to where Groot was.

Slowly he spoke, "What is that thing there?"

"I am Groot."

The look in his eyes set me on edge. As he advanced towards Groot I wanted to step between them, but I glanced at Gamora and she sharply shook her head 'no'. So reluctantly, I stayed in my place.

"I never thought I'd meet a Groot." The Collector said, observing Groot from head-to-toe. "Sir...You must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass. At the moment of your death of course."

"Why?" Rocket's voice called out, criticizing the man. "so he could turn you into a frickin' chair?"

Seemingly indifferent at the words, The Collector asked, "That's your pet?" I cleared my throat to hide the chuckle that had appeared.

Rocket reached to pull out his gun. "His what?!"

"Tivan." I turned my attention to Gamora, who was changing the subject before the situation could go out of hand. "We have been halfway around the galaxy, retrieving this orb."

"Very well then. Let us see what you have brought."

Movement caught my eye and I looked over to Quill who was reaching in his bag to pull out the orb. And as he did he drops it.

* * *

"Oh my new friends." By the way The Collector had been looking at our orb, I'm guessing it was something fancy. "Before creation itself, there were six singularities." The machine holding the orb twisted and suddenly purple circles appeared in the air. Inside them shifted rapidly, resembling the galaxy. "Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots." Six stones appeared, all of different color. "Infinity Stones. These stones it seems, can only be brandished by beings of extraordinary strength. Observe," The Collector raised his hand, pointing upwards at one of the circles.

I turned my head to see a giant wielding a staff. It stood behind a mass of screaming people, and appeared to be terrorizing them as it slammed the staff into the earth. The people then disintegrated. My mouth drifted open in surprise and I tuned back in to what The Collector was saying, "–to mow down entire civilizations like wheat in a field." The image panned out to show the planet, purple energy was consuming it just like what had been done to the people.

"There's a little pee coming out of me right now." Quill said his voice small.

"Once, for a moment," The Collector continued. "a group of people was able to share the energy amongst themselves, but even they were quickly destroyed by it." The machine that'd been working on the orb finished, the rock was split in half, revealing the purple stone inside. The Collector shook his arms in front of him, moving them in awe. "Beautiful...beyond compare."

"Blah, blah, blah," Rocket drawled out. "We're all very fascinated, whitey. But we'd like to get paid." My eyes flickered up as the purple lights disappeared, the energy flowing back into the stone.

The Collector asked, "How would you like to get paid?"

"What do you think fancy man? Units!"

"Very well then." He opened a drawer, going to pull something out when his attention was drawn away. "Carina." The Collector called out to the Krylorian, his tone sharp. I didn't bother looking, my headache was starting to come back. Whatever was wrong it was enough to get this pompous guy riled up. "Stand back."

"I will no longer be your slave!"

"No!"

Now my attention was piqued. But as I angled my head sideways I realized it was too late. My eyes caught her movement just as she was wrapping her fingers around the stone. There was a surge of power, objects went flying outwards and the sound of glass shattering was prominent. Something collided with my side and I grunted, collapsing to the floor holding my throbbing ribs. I figured it was safer down here than standing so I made myself small, and waited for it to be over.

There was a high pitched noise, when I risked a glance up I saw it was Carina screaming. She was crumbling away, violet light showing through the cracks. Something told me that I needed to get away, I couldn't be this close to her. Still on my knees, I crawled through the debris heading for the nearest counter. And just as I threw myself behind it, she exploded. Searing heat flowed overhead and the foundation shook. The vibrations entered my head, causing a wave of nausea to overtake me. My hand clamped over my mouth, forcing it to stay closed. This was neither the time nor place to throw up.

Finally it stopped. I turned around, cautiously lifting my head above the counter. It was a disaster, to say the least. Gamora popped up from across the room and marched over to the orb, promptly shutting it.

* * *

"How could I think Tivan could contain whatever was within the orb?!" Gamora shouted furiously as they exited the casino. I glanced around, searching the frantic crowd for Rocket and Groot, I wasn't able to find them in the wreckage. The best I could do to keep myself sane was repeat that they had made it out before the explosion.

But my worries were soon put to rest as Rocket walked up and asked hysterically, "What do you still have it for?!"

A smile of relief formed on my face. "Rocket you're–"

"What are we gonna do, leave it in there?" Quill cut me off.

"I can't believe you had that in your purse!"

Quill was visibly offended. "It's not a purse it's a knapsack!"

My mouth drifted close, he wasn't worried about me I suppose. I turned away, suddenly feeling awkward. I was still half-listening to their conversation, and I did agree with Gamora. That thing was too powerful, the Nova was our best shot.

The sound of ships approaching drew my attention to the sky and I felt my stomach drop. Ronan's ships.

I snapped my head to face the others, "What's going on?!"

Gamora was at loss for words. Quill although stepped forward, asking in an accusing tone, "You called Ronan?" I turned my head around to see Drax, standing with arms out wide gripping his weapons, prepared to fight.

"Quill!" A faint voice shouted. We all turned our heads to see a blue alien glaring in our direction. "Don't you move boy!" But Gamora took off, and Quill quickly followed. My legs didn't move to go after them. Instead, my eyes were back on the ship which had landed. Ronan would soon come out and I knew that in the state Drax was in he could get himself killed. I was roughed up as well—from the earlier hit on the head to my bruised ribs I doubt I could be much help, but I would be approaching this situation with a clear mind unlike Drax who only was blind with rage.

"Maia! Come on!" Rocket yelled, gesturing to where everyone had gone.

I spared him a glance. "I'm staying here, go!"

He shook his head at my words and threw an arm in the ship's direction. "Are you blind?! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

"Fine!" I snapped. Rocket groaned, muttered some curses, then left. I looked over my shoulder at his retreating figure. I was still angry at him for ignoring me, but we could talk later, even if I had to force the answers out of him.

The ramp lowered and the outline of Ronan could be seen. My nerves were getting the best of me. I had to take a deep breath in for I'd forgotten to breathe.

"Ronan the Accuser!" Drax shouted.

"You are the one who transmitted the message?" Ronan asked, irate.

"You killed my wife. You killed my daughter!"

Three ships suddenly sailed overhead catching everyone's attention. One woman said, "It is Gamora. She is escaping with the orb." And with that, she and Ronan began to leave. I felt relieved seeing his back to us, but Drax was quite the opposite.

Not able to let his family's murder escape, Drax ran forward swinging one his blades at Ronan's head. Ronan easily dodged it, dropping down then standing back up to face his opponent. All the while he was conversing with one of his coworkers. He ordered her to retrieve the orb.

I found myself with a new goal; stop the ship before it could take off. I made wide berth around the fighting pair, increasing my pace as I neared the ship then pushed off the ground. My fingertips gripped something, I was able to hold on even as the engines lifted it higher. But before I could hoist myself up onto the top, a hand wrapped itself around my ankle giving it a strong tug.

I lost my grip, too focused my on ankle that felt like it'd been dislocated. My body crashed to the ground face first. Soundlessly my mouth opened as the air was forced from my lungs. My ribs were on fire, I had the thought that maybe they were broken and for some reason it was the funniest thing yet.

A foot dug into my shoulder, rolling me over. "And who are you?" Ronan stood above me. He showed no remorse, the emptiness in his eyes disgusted me.

"Who are you?" I retorted mockingly. His foot kicked into my side and I groaned.

"Answer me when I ask a question." His tone had developed an edge.

I coughed, clearing my throat. "My name...is none of your business." Ronan's stare burned holes into my head for minutes that appeared to last hours. I began to panic, seeing him standing over me unmoving, wondering if I was going to die.

Finally, a ship arrived. "Ronan it is done." The woman's voice from earlier spoke. She was the one who was supposed to get the orb. If she succeeded...what happened to Gamora? Or Quill and everyone else?

Ronan started to walk past me, but I wasn't done with him. My hand wrapped around his leg, almost tripping him. "What did you do?" I growled.

"Know your place." He said then used his other leg to kick me. His sole collided with my chin, sending my head flying back. But my grip did not loosen.

I needed to get on my feet. I needed to fight.

My legs didn't respond to what my mind was telling them to do. As I tried to drag my limbs underneath me they shook from the effort. I was able to stand up to Ronan's hips when he grabbed a fistful of my hair jerking me to his eye level. A muffled scream filled the air; there was a pulsing pain that came from my roots pulling at the scalp. The suffocating agony that was from all my injuries added together made me think the idea of fighting back again was so stupid. Weakly, I tried to pry open Ronan's fingers that were tangled in my hair but to no avail.

"Allow me to repeat myself." Ronan moved his hold so that his fingers wrapped tight around my skull. In one swift move, he slammed my head into the ground. "Know your place."


	14. Chapter 14

**(A/n** Originally I had this opening up with Rocket and Groot, but I've decided to approach it a different way. It's a bit short but enjoy ( ･ω･)ﾉ

* * *

There was a quiet hum. It rattled occasionally like it was trying to clear its aged pipes. There was another subtle creak, one of hinges that desperately needed to be oiled. A person entered the room, they didn't pick up their feet as they walked and shuffled inside, growing closer until until they stood over the beside.

I had been awake ever since the man arrived.

I kept my breathing the same, a stable flow of in and out through my nostrils. I was able to stay calm until the feeling of another's skin brushing mine.

The man was leaning over me, fiddling with a needle that was inserted into my arm. Eyes still closed, my free limb slipped around his neck. As my hold tightened I pulled myself up simultaneously. The stranger let out a choked cry, his hands attempting to pry away the lock around his neck. I violently shook him once and his hands weakly slid up to my face, pushing at my cheeks. As he ran out of oxygen, I wrapped my legs around his bottom half to secure his own as they flailed. Finally, his movement subsided.

I cracked open my eyes and saw an old man that was unknown to me. I let his body fall to the floor where it landed with a _thump._ With a deep breath, I swung my legs over the side, sitting up. My eyes scanned the room; I was in a ship — not the Milano. Was this a prison cell? After all the last thing I remember…

My hand shot to the top of my head where it gingerly ran over my scalp, finding a small bump. Ronan. A deep scowl formed on my face and I ripped the needle out, discarding it on the floor.

Slowly, my legs stood. They wobbled at first, not used to supporting so much in so long. But I didn't fall over. Cautiously I made my way over to the door, glancing over my shoulder to make sure the man was still unconscious. Satisfied, I hit the panel and opened the door.

The more I saw of the ship the more I began to think it didn't belong to Ronan. It was too dirty for starters, I doubt if The Accuser reigned over this domain he wouldn't stand for a speck of dust. The crew; I had encountered three including the one I had first knocked out. None were Kree.

"Hey! Who are you?!" The sharp call stopped me. I angled my head sideways, seeing a young man aiming his weapon in my direction. My brown eyes scanned him up and down; maybe I could find out where I am with him. As he repeated the question I closed the distance between us in a second. My fingers gripped his collar and raised him off the floor, slamming him back against the wall. The weapon clattered to the floor beneath us and I used a foot to kick it away.

"Look at me." His straying eyes held fear in them, avoiding my gaze. I jerked him forward, bringing him back to the wall hard enough to snap him from his daze. "Look at me." I hissed, enunciating each word. "Where am I and where's my crew?"

The man looked at me bewildered. Then his mouth formed an 'O' as sudden realization dawned on him. "You're part of those idiots that joined us a few days ago?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. Where are they?" He looked pointedly at my hold on him. I dropped him promptly.

He looked at me indignantly. "You fit right in crazy chick. Follow me."

I was led down a hall then had some twists and turns until we arrived at a doorway. The man was looking at me expectantly so I nodded at him. "You first." He groaned and grabbed the door handle, flinging it open.

"Happy?" He did a curt wave and left. I didn't pay him any attention, for my eyes were too busy running over the figures in the room.

Everyone was here. Groot, Rocket, Gamora, Quill, and Drax.

"You're all alright." A smile filled my face, breathing a sigh of relief. The last suspicions that I was on Ronan's ship had been expunged.

Rocket guffawed. "Have you seen yourself?"

I was then surrounded by laughter, a request to tell my side of the fight against Ronan, and comfort that I had pulled through.

Rocket sat next to me, his head tilted downwards. He'd grown quiet, withdrawing from the conversation. I gently nudged him. "Hey what's up?" I asked.

His eyes flickered to to mine. "Uh–just glad you're back."

My lips pressed into a frown for I knew when he was lying and this was one of those times. "Rocket…" I pressed.

He groaned running a hand over his ears. "Fine — fine! It's — ever since that casino fight on Knowhere and you got hurt. That was my fault, not Drax's and I never apologized and then I just ignored you–"

"Whoa slow down how is it your fault?"

"I...I made fun of his tattoos. And we were both drunk so it only was worse. I'm sorry about that."

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "Sounds like you should say sorry to Drax too."

Rocket looked taken aback. "What?! No way in hell am I saying sorry to that a-hole."

"Eventually."

"No."

A sudden alarm broke the peaceful mood. A man's voice blared over the intercom;

" _Why the hell are my men knocked out in the halls?!"_

A shared look was sent in my direction. I didn't deny anything.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/n** This is going to enter into the battle and I'll try to describe the fight in the sky as best as I can :) and sorry for not updating in like three months i got writer's block again :/

 **Reviews**

 _harleyquinn87:_ hello I'm sorry for the late answer i thought i already replied :c but to answer your question no there won't be any romance between Maia and Quill.

* * *

I sat on the toilet seat, my vacant eyes staring at holes scattered in the wall.

A knock brought me back to reality.

Hastily I stood and flushed, giving my hands a quick rinse. "Coming!" I opened the door to see Gamora leaning against the wall. Her eyes were lingering on the doorway and upon it opening she made contact with me.

I nodded in acknowledgment. "Sorry if I made you wait long." She shrugged.

As I stepped forward to allow her to pass, she gently grabbed ahold of my shoulder. I looked towards her curiously. Her lips parted in thought, then she spoke, "I know I'm not the person you'd think to talk to about things with, but if you ever want…"

Her words were unexpected and all I did was stare. When they set in I looked away blinking rapidly. A smile came across my face and I patted her hand in gratitude. "Thanks."

And I continued down the hall. Once I was far away I paused to calm myself, regain composure. I hadn't had the urge to cry in years, it frightened me to have it now.

"Alright get your shit together Maia." I told myself, rubbing furiously at my eyes. "There's no time for mistakes."

* * *

Everyone aboard Yondu's ship was abuzz with getting ready for the plan. We were on a steady course for Xandar, expecting to arrive within the hour.

I was to be among the team that would blow a hole in Ronan's ship. And then defend Xandar from the army that would no doubt retaliate once we attacked the ship.

"Hey," Rocket greeted from down the hall. I nodded in return. He joined me where I sat alone on stairs. "We're getting ready to leave."

I shifted, moving my feet up a set so that my knees were bent at a more acute angle. My arms wrapped around my chest and I leaned forward, pressing my arms against my thighs. My eyes lingered on the floor while I responded to Rocket, "Alright I'll meet you down there.

Out of my peripheral vision I saw him nod. He stayed beside me a second too long and I knew that he was holding something back, be it worry or his opinion that I wasn't ready to fight. I flashed him a smile, an arm reaching out to ruffle the fur between his ears. "Come on I'll go with you."

As we walked an apprehensiveness gnawed at me, it twisted my insides causing me to feel nauseous. With each step we got closer to the endgame, and it made me question myself even more.

* * *

I knew I wasn't ready to face Ronan again, just thinking about him caused me to feel like little girl again and back in that room.

All alone. Helpless. Suffocated.

As I slid into a cockpit a part of me relaxed; all I had to do was blow a hole into the ship then focus my attention on annihilating the enemy.

Soon we were ready for take off. The hangar door opened and I began flicking on switches, checking diagnostics, and the ship to hummed to life. I took ahold of the control wheel and slowly lifted it up, there were other ships that were flying out and when it was time I took my place in line gliding out into the blue sky.

* * *

I flew beside Yondu and a few Ravagers as we approached the daunting black ship that had emerged from the clouds.

My fingers flexed on the steering; I needed to stay calm. We were in almost in firing range.

Beyond the row of airships in front of me I could see a blue figure standing behind the glass of Ronan's ship. My back stiffened as realization struck that it was the woman from the night I fought Ronan. The one who went after my friends.

"Fire!" Yondu's voice shouting through the comms startled me back to reality.

My eyes traced two orange energy blasts as they shot out from Yondu's ships. He had talked about it earlier but seeing it in action was amazing. The spheres travelled forward, hurtling in the direction of the ship until they exploded. A wall of that same energy now stretched in all ways blocking Ronan's field of vision.

"Submerge!"

I pushed my control wheel down, taking the ship into a dive. We arrived so we were looking at the belly of Ronan's ship.

"Time to shine Maia!" Rocket's voice rang over the comms.

A half hearted grin came across my face. "Roger that."


	16. Chapter 16

Gunfire echoed around me, Ronan had deployed his defenses and his ships met with the Ravagers ensuing a firefight that our group had avoided. We were hovering aside the battleship, firing with the utmost intensity, desperately trying to put a hole in its side. But with the continuous blasts and no apparent change, it felt hopeless.

My eyes caught the sight of the engines blaring as they increased their speed, my jaw locked and I focused back towards the task at hand.

An explosion burst into life, the fire thriving on the oxygen before dying out quickly without anything to spread it's hungry flames to. At the sight of our accomplishment, which I previously thought to be impossible, an anxiety flowed through me, a nervous anticipation, that this _was_ going to work. I had my doubts after being beat by Ronan, if he could be stopped. It wasn't that I didn't have faith in my friends, just experiencing that man's power and now amplified by the stone, I feared for them.

Rocket had alerted Quill and Yondu that the opening was ready and thus we fell back, joining the fight.

I lost Rocket among the chaos, eventually I forgot about him with the overbearing amount of ships attacking from each direction. One would go down and another would take its place, to say it was infuriating was an understatement.

A flash of yellow zoomed by, earning my curiosity. My eyes flickered around the sky, trying to see what it was, before landing on a star shaped ship. A star blaster, the Nova Corps had come to help. I tracked it for a second longer, watching it fly up to Ronan's ship — which had gotten dangerously close — and stop, then turned my gaze back to the battle and began firing again.

I weaved among other ships, fired blasters sending enemies careening towards the earth miles below. My grip on the control wheel tightened by the moment, my body sat straight as a pin and eyes darted between the radar and the outside. I was in the moment more than ever, alert and watching for whatever was next.

A ship suddenly flew past too close for comfort, I jerked the controls back exhaling a breath of relief. I went to fire but another ship shot by. Confused, I tracked it's path as it sailed straight for the land below, not changing its course and hit a building. More of Ronan's fleet followed and the stark realization hit; they were dive-bombing the city.

In a hurried voice I spoke over the radio, "They're attacking the city."

" _I see em'."_ Rocket replied, then addressed everyone, " _Those who can, get down to the city and stop 'em before they touch the ground!"_

Having already been on my way I arrived and positioned myself over a body of water, ship facing the sky. A few others joined me, mimicking with their guns aimed skyward. There was no action for a moment, then a wave of falling ships commenced and blasters let loose. In the section I was in nothing touched the earth, more were coming but it seemed they would—

Light filled the sky, drawing my attention upwards. It took a second to comprehend, but once I processed what was happening my face went slack and I watched with horror as the barrier the Nova Corps had formed was destroyed and ships exploded. Ronan's battleship advanced, moving closer towards decimating Xandar.

" _Quill you gotta hurry."_ Rocket's voice was strained. " _The city's been evacuated but we're getting our asses kicked down here."_

He yelled in reply, " _Gamora hasn't opened the door!"_

My brows furrowed and I decided to join the conversation. "Is she alright?"

" _I don't know, but it's Gamora, I mean."_

I inclined my head. "True."

In the split second after I continued firing again one of our ships broke away and flew towards the battle. Who would do that, I had limited guesses.

"Rocket is that you?" I asked accusingly.

" _Yep."_

I paused before answering to shoot another vessel, it skimming a bridge as its debris fell into the river. Then, I said, "Why are you going back up? It's not to do something stupid is it?"

I could hear him roll his eyes. " _I want to make sure Ronan didn't kick their asses. They should've hit him with that nice Hadron Enforcer by now."_

My head did a quick shake. "No, Rocket, if they needed help they would've radioed it."

He sounded irritated, " _But what if they couldn't?"_

I swallowed the lump in my throat, knowing he was right. "Be careful." Rocket didn't respond and I watched him fly away, navigating through the chaos until he reached the ship. Then he did something inexplicable. He flew right into it.

My mouth ran dry, shock settling in at the fact that — yes, Rocket actually just did that.

"Rocket!" I called sharply into the radio. My body was stone, awaiting a sign to know he was alright. Again, I tried calling his name.

His channel relayed nothing but static.

I fell back against the seat my hands loosening around the controls. My thoughts were scattered, but the urge to go up there and as he did — or attempted to do — check on everyone and make sure Ronan was finished.

I gripped the wheel and forced it forwards, taking the ship up. My eye was on one destination; the Dark Aster. Perhaps it was because of my tunnel vision, my desperation to make sure everyone was okay, that I didn't notice a ship swooping in and clipping my right wing with numerous blasts.

The ship jolted, my hands were thrown from the controls and alarms rang in my ears. I grunted as the ship tilted sideways, my body rocking violently in the chair while the ship lost altitude and no longer had lateral balance. With a quick glance at the control board I saw one of the wings was gone.

"God,"

I gritted my teeth, gripping the wheel and pulling up with all the strength I could use without breaking it. The world spun around me, making me nauseous to both see the indiscernible blur of the outside and to know that I couldn't regain control.

The impact was different than I expected. It hurt like hell; my teeth rattled and my head slammed the back of the seat, black spots swam in my vision, stealing the blinding sunlight. I sucked in a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut.

That had not been pleasant. But somehow I had survived.

Carefully I tried to unbuckle myself, resorting to tearing the item off my bruised skin when it was jammed. As I went to stand the ship groaned, swaying beneath me. I froze, my arms spread out beside me for balance. The ground shouldn't move like that.

For the first time since my crash I looked towards the glass, breathing in surprise at the sight.

The whole ship was almost immersed in water, and it was sinking, fast.

My breath came short as I raced to the hatch, stretching up to grasp the wheel that needed to be spun to free me. But as I twisted it the ship lurched to the side unexpectedly. I let out a cry and was sent falling, my arm held out to brace myself but it instead crumpled under my body, the metal of the wall dug painfully into the muscles.

When we finally stopped moving, I found the wall to be my new floor. Now, water fully submerged the ship but it didn't look like it was on the riverbed, which allowed me to hope it would be easier to swim to the surface. With an examination of the interior I saw no water had penetrated the ship, currently my only worry was running out of oxygen.

I slowly stood and made my way over to the hatch, sitting down beside it. Agonizingly I wrenched open the hatch. My ribs throbbed with each movement, it hurt to breathe, to turn this infernal wheel. I likely had a concussion from all the times I whacked my head but the only thing I felt now was a bearable headache.

The final turn came and I let out a sigh of relief, but prepared myself for the water which would rush in when the hatch was opened. I stood to the side, my body bent and fingers wrapped around the metal, with a deep inhale I pulled it open.

White foam gushed in, soon filling up to my ankles, it rushed down the wall filling the space. My teeth chattered and I shifted, drawing my limbs closer. The water was like ice, my expression became one of distaste, not wishing to have to dive into this. With the addition of the liquid the ship was becoming even more unstable. It creaked and groaned, if I listened hard enough I could hear the currents violently hitting the outside and it wouldn't be long before the ship took another turn.

I inched forward, my hands bracing myself on the metal, and with the deepest breath I could muster I forced myself out and into the river headfirst.

The mental preparation I had done was thrown out the window the moment I was enveloped in the river's bitter temperature. The air I saved burned in my chest, suddenly wanting to escape. As I frantically tried to swim my outer extremities felt like they had needles sticking in them. My arms grew tired, each stroke becoming more strenuous, yet the surface was _right there._ I could see the light dancing off the water's top, clearer images appeared, bursts of light from blasters being fired flashed, illuminating my face.

And then I broke through.

Coughs and throaty rasps echoed through the air as my chest heaved, lungs aching for a proper breath. The more my chest expanded a pressure built, turning into a pulsing pain that almost caused me to seize consequently dropping like a rock. My head turned from side to side, searching for the bank.

My lips curled upwards seeing a part of the concrete wall bordering the river had crumbled, as fast as my body would let me I swam over to it, groaning as my weak arms pulled practically dead weight out of the water.

I had managed to get my body far enough up so that the water only lapped at the soles of my shoes. My head lulled to the side, eyes drifting shut.

The second my eyes closed my muscles became unresponsive, overcome with extreme fatigue. But I had to get up. They were still up there, fighting Ronan, I had to…

•

•

•

The ground shook, stirring me.

A deep breath was sucked into my lungs, pain flared in my chest area as I detected the overbearing smell of smoke.

The realization that I'd fallen asleep hit me then and I snapped up, disregarding my injuries. In the distance I could see black smoke rising in a thick cloud. Screams filled my ears, momentarily disorientating me. With a glance towards the sky I saw Ronan's battleship was no longer there.

The ship had crashed.

My eyes widened in alarm and hands slapped the top of a slab of concrete, using it to pull myself up. Now mobile I limped past debris and through an oncoming crowd, down concaved streets and buildings that had holes blown in them.

My destination was the crash site. Hopefully whatever I found there would be—

A purple light suddenly appeared in the distance, beyond the rows of buildings that separated me from the remains of Ronan's ship. I stumbled to a stop, marveling at the luminosity that was so out of place, but in reality it wasn't.

The air was heavy with dust, choking me as I ran towards the glaring violet light, the light which was unmistakably the same as when Carina had grabbed ahold of the stone back on Knowhere. Dread filled me, if not for the adrenaline pumping through my veins I would have needed to sit down at the thought of Ronan using the stone on Xandar. I didn't bother listening in to what was going on there, trying to find one conversation — one person — would take too long. And time is something precious I couldn't afford to waste.

My feet smacked the pavement, avoiding fallen debris and fleeing citizens whose terrified beings caused me to lose myself in an inner turmoil of thinking _this is the end._

I stopped and stumbled over to a wall, my hand outstretched to catch myself on it while the other wrapped around my ribs as my legs shook threatening to drop me.

The sounds of battle had quieted and I knew I was close to arriving at the scene, gathering my composure, I forced myself onwards.

Trudging through the destroyed city proved a mediocre task; there wasn't much longer to go as I arrived in a clearing where onlookers bore ecstatic expressions and rejoiced in another's arms. My gaze flickered from them, hope bursting inside my chest at the sight, and found Quill beside Gamora. Both were filthy and exhausted, they leaned on another for support, Gamora held the silver orb in her hands.

I laughed, tears of relief misting my eyes. Seeing that thing which had already caused so much destruction locked away felt wonderful. With another scan I noticed Ronan's body was nowhere to be found. The happiness faded away, turning into a bitter resentment towards the man if he managed to slink out of the star system before being killed.

My body tense, ready for a fight, I walked over to Quill and Gamora. Their heads jerked up upon my arrival, both standing to greet me. Gamora nodded slightly, her lips twitching into a smile while Quill broke out into a grin, pointing towards the orb with an incline of his head.

"You missed it, we totally decimated Ronan — like I went like this," He squeezed an eye shut and held out a closed fist, then popped it open. "and purple energy came out and hit that blueberry and _boom_ he exploded. And you look like shit." I bobbed my head vaguely at his afterthought, more concerned with his previous words. Despite his wild retelling of events, I had learned that Ronan died, and was glad of it.

Gamora raised her brows, unimpressed. "Yes Ronan is dead, but he is only one of many." She turned her gaze back towards me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I'm great." She returned the light smile, giving me a once over before looking back to Quill.

The conversation turned to talking about the Xandarians and giving them the stone, Quill joked about them throwing us a party because "we saved their asses.'' I stood idly listening to their chatter, before my attention fell over their shoulders and landed on a sight that sent me reeling back in both disbelief and horror.

Rocket, who's well-being I had pushed to the back of my mind to keep my own sanity, was bent over, clutching a stick.

My head twisted around, just now noticing the unsettling amount of wood scattered across the ground. Panic took hold of me, and I staggered over to him.

I winced as sticks cracked beneath my knees, knots of wood poked through my clothes while I kneeled in front of Rocket, startling him by my appearance. He stared at me; fur matted from tears, distraught, and at a loss for words. The only thing he was able to do was weakly raise the stick in his hands, and I got the message.

There was a rawness to when I cried, perhaps it was because the events of these past few days had accumulated and now they came rushing out like water spilling over a dam. Misery had overtaken me. There was no revenge to enact to satisfy the loss burrowing a hole in my heart, yet even if I could squeeze the life out of Ronan, I wondered if that would change anything at all.

Eventually my tears ran dry, and my sobs quieted, dissolving into nothing. I pushed my emotions to the dark corners of my mind, locking it away with the rest of the things that I wanted to forget.

"He died a hero." Drax's voice startled me and my head snapped to beside Rocket, who still looked miserable. How I hadn't noticed him sitting there was beyond me.

Rocket nodded, adding on, "Yeah, he sacrificed himself saving us. The ship was going down and we wouldn't have survived," He paused, then mumbled an affectionate word dualed with sadness, "that idiot."

I swallowed the hard lump in my throat, shifting my position slowly, for with every move the sticks beneath me snapped. Carefully, I brought my knees close, resting my folded arms on them. My head tilted down, connecting with the uncomfortably warm skin of my forearm.

When Yondu's ship came flying overhead I wasn't fazed, today had been tiring enough and dealing with that man Quill could handle.

I partially listened in as Yondu demanded the orb, but stopped caring once I knew Quill switched it and the rest was a façade.

Today was almost over. Ronan was killed, the stone dealt with. Groot was dead. Lastly, to deal with the Xandrians.

My tired eyes lifted to the sounds of three pairs of footsteps walking in a formation and the shuffle of the crowd as they parted for them. Three men in uniform were revealed to us, one stepped forward and said to no one in particular,

"The Nova Prime requests your presence at the Nova Corps Headquarters, if you would please follow us, she would like to express her gratitude."

Quill nodded. "Thanks, lead the way." He left first, followed by Gamora who cast a glance over her shoulder towards us. Drax trailed behind Rocket and I, who trudged along at a slower pace. The eight of us arrived at the headquarters and were greeted by an older woman at the door. The guards fanned out, standing vigil at the entrance, while the woman walked towards us a smile on her face.

"On behalf of the Nova Corps, we'd like to express our profound gratitude. You saved us, defeating Ronan and saving Xandar." The woman, who I'd assumed was the Nova Prime, paused, her eyes wandering before landing on Quill. "Let's have everyone get cleaned up, and then we'll meet again." The white-haired woman gestured to a guard who stepped to attention. "Please follow her."

We all nodded in thanks as we passed by the Nova Prime. We were led inside the headquarters, it's cleanliness causing me to feel slightly guilty about the clumps of dirt and dusty shoe prints we left in our wake. Down two stairwells we went and around three corners before arriving at space that had rows of lockers built into its walls. A row of wooden benches were placed on either side of the room, a drenched towel was draped on the ending of one, it smelled strongly of must. Across was the entry to the showers. I could see moisture from the last rinse glistening on a divider which was composed of stark white tiles that stretched in every direction with silver shower heads mounted above.

"The men are here, women are next over. You can leave your clothes on the benches, they'll be cleaned for when you get out." The guard announced.

Drax, Rocket and Quill departed from our group. We didn't say goodbye, for we would see each other in minutes.

Gamora and I were led to the next room over, it was the same set up, the only thing that differed was the coloring. Instead of the bathroom being a chalk white, it was a soft purple, which was much more appealing. The pair of them undressed, and hit the showers.

Warm water running over my face never felt so good. I don't remember the last time I had a shower. There was that time at the prison, but I didn't think getting sprayed with an orange liquid counts.

My fingers dug through the rats nest which was my hair, attempting to untangle it as the soap cleansed it. I scrubbed and pulled and yanked but the hair would not come free, it's many strands remained intertwined in each other and a thought nagged me to cut it all off. Be done with it. But I couldn't.

I adjusted the water temperature to a cooler one, hoping that with the shower not steaming hot, with boiling water beating against my skin, perhaps my anger would ebb. I spent longer than Gamora standing under the falling water. The active shower with it's sound resembling a heavy rain distracted me from the rest of the world. I was able to focus on this moment, not what was going on a mile away, just this.

When my feet ached from standing too long I turned the shower off, hurried over to the bench where thankfully, towels were placed beside my clothes.

Retracing my footsteps back upstairs was easy, listening intently I found everyone was already gathered and so I navigated my way through the building until I opened the door to the correct room.

Nova Prime smiled at me. "We sent someone to retrieve you but you had already left. It's good you made it here although." I nodded silently, drifting over to stand beside Rocket. I noticed he was carrying a pot with a piece of Groot sticking out of it. The woman's eyes scanned us all. "Now that you're all here, I would like to once again, give you my thanks. But now if you will, please follow Denerian Dey."

We were led through the building and to the outside. I squinted while exiting the place, looking up into the bright sky which earlier that day had been filled with enemy ships.

"We tried to keep it as close to the original as possible." Denerian Dey spoke, gesturing to a ship that was resting across the walkway. "We salvaged as much as we could."

It was a replica of the Milano, everyone stood for a moment taking in the beauty of the new one. I felt a smile coming across my face, they did do a good job.

Quill thanked Dey, and I watched as after a moment of contemplating the latter spoke, "I have a family. They're alive because of you. Your criminal records have also been expunged, however I have to warn you against breaking any laws in the future."

"Question." Rocket began, I shot him a side eye, he was going to give the guy some top level bullshit. "What if I see something that I want to take and it belongs to someone else?"

Dey replied, "You will be arrested."

"But what if I want it more than the person who has it?"

The man reiterated what he said previously, "It's still illegal."

I chuckled as Rocket wouldn't give up and began trying to prove his case.

"Excuse me ma'am?" I turned at the sound of someone addressing me, an eyebrow raised in questioning. A guard stood there carrying a box, they lifted it slightly and said. "The Nova Prime would like to give these medical supplies to your group on her behalf."

"Oh, thank you." I hurried to take it, but recoiled when stretching my arms caused sharp pricks to appear in my abdomen. I ignored the look the guard sent me, annoyed that this injury disabled me in ways, and tried again this time planning to brave the pain. Before I could grasp the box's handles, someone brushed in front of me taking ahold of the item.

I stepped back and observed Drax. He gave me a nod, I returned it. He then headed towards the ship, and I followed.

* * *

I sat in the cockpit, my legs slung over the chair's armrests when a song began to play. It was Quill's, his Terran music he'd gotten from while he was a child on that planet. I closed my eyes and listened to it.

Honestly, it wasn't half-bad.

" _...Cause' baby there ain't no mountain high enough_

 _Ain't no valley low enough_

 _Ain't no river wide enough_

 _To keep me from getting to you babe…"_

* * *

 **A/n** ANNND FINISHED! *sorry for not giving notice about this being the final chapter i kinda kept writing and it just happened* Anyways I can't believe I wrote this, there were times when I thought _how to go on_ but thankfully I prevailed!

I might make a sequel, I'm thinking it'd be non canon and reintroduce that scientist guy from the very beginning who "raised" Maia as the antagonist.

Thank you to everyone who follow/favorited/read/reviewed, seeing any one of those really helped my motivation. If you can drop a review and let me know what you think!

Goodbye!


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